Leather, footwear industry roadmap to be prepared
The government is preparing a comprehensive and actionable roadmap aimed at identifying systemic bottlenecks facing Bangladesh’s leather and footwear industry, tapping into the expanding domestic market, and driving global export growth.
Speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the three-day Tenth Bangladesh Leather and Footwear Expo 2026 at the International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital on Thursday, Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan revealed that the draft policy will soon be published on the Ministry of Commerce website to solicit opinions and recommendations from relevant stakeholders.
“Following the prime minister’s directives, the Ministry of Commerce is working to prepare an action-oriented roadmap for the industry,” he said, adding that the practical experiences and needs of tannery owners, manufacturers, traders, technologists and other relevant stakeholders would be reflected in it.
Highlighting the potential of the domestic market, the commerce secretary said Bangladesh has its own raw materials for the leather industry and the capabilities of local technologists have also increased.
“There is scope to encourage people to use locally produced leather goods and, at the same time, increase exports to international markets,” he said.
The commerce secretary assured government support to help exporters meet the requirements and standards of foreign buyers.
He said entrepreneurs need necessary information and support on environmental and social responsibility, technological capabilities and international market requirements.
“To this end, the Ministry of Commerce is working on a framework for responsible business conduct and a national traceability framework,” he said, adding that there are also plans to establish separate traceability systems for priority sectors.
Md Ataur Rahman Khan also stressed strengthening cooperation between industrial establishments and educational institutions to boost research in the leather sector.
He said connections between leather technology students and researchers and tannery owners and entrepreneurs need to be made more effective.
“We will try to include this issue in the roadmap,” he added.
At the event, the organisers said the leather industry is the second-largest foreign exchange earning sector in Bangladesh after the readymade garment industry.
They said the sector has significant potential to enter new markets and strengthen its position in existing markets, requiring proper planning and special initiatives.
Bangladesh exports processed leather as well as footwear, travel bags, belts and wallets. There is also demand for various leather-based lifestyle products, while many handicraft enterprises in the country produce such items for export to global markets.
Besides large enterprises, Bangladesh has around 5,500 small footwear factories. The country is the eighth-largest footwear producer and the ninth-largest footwear consumer market in the world, according to the organisers.
Bangladesh produces an estimated 270 million square feet of leather annually, most of which is exported, while the rest is used by the domestic leather goods industry.
Bangladeshi leather is mainly exported to Italy, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Demand for footwear is also growing rapidly in the domestic market.
Local companies are receiving orders from renowned international brands for footwear production, prompting many leather and leather-goods manufacturers to expand their businesses.
The expo, organised jointly by the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), Leather Engineers and Technologists Society, Bangladesh (LETS’B) and Limra Trade Fairs and Exhibitions Private Limited, will continue from 24 to 26 September at ICCB in Kuril.
The exhibition will remain open from 10am to 7pm every day. More than 250 reputed local and foreign companies are participating in the expo.
Chairman of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Benazir Ahmed attended the event as a special guest.
BTA Senior Vice-President Md Sakhawat Ullah chaired the programme.
Representatives of the Tanners Association and the Leather Engineers and Technologists Society, Bangladesh, as well as local and foreign businessmen, manufacturers and technologists, were present at the event.
