Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh must accelerate long-overdue reforms in its logistics sector-considered the backbone of global trade-if it hopes to sustain export growth and remain competitive as preferential trade agreements begin phasing out in the coming decade, industry stakeholders warned yesterday.
At a business session hosted by Norwegian Ambassador HÃ¥konAraldGulbrandsen in Dhaka, participants stressed the urgency of digitalising clearance processes, completing strategic port projects on time, promoting multimodal transport, and embedding sustainability in future logistics planning.
The dialogue, titled “Navigating the Future: The Evolving Landscape of Logistics in Bangladesh”, was jointly organised by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, HSBC Bangladesh, and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), according to a press statement.
Regulators, global operators, and economic experts discussed how Bangladesh could tackle persistent bottlenecks in trade facilitation, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen competitiveness amid ongoing economic transformation.
M MasrurReaz, chairman and CEO of Policy Exchange Bangladesh and keynote speaker, cautioned that without urgent reforms the country risks losing ground in global value chains once trade privileges expire.
He noted that small efficiency gains could yield significant benefits-for example, a 1percent cut in transport costs could raise garment exports by 7.4percent, while reducing overall logistics costs by 25percent could lift national exports by 20percent.
Speakers also highlighted the risks of overdependence on Chittagong Port, which handles over 90percent of the country’s trade. While projects such as the Bay Terminal, Matarbari deep-sea port, and Mongla expansion are under way, delays in customs clearance, infrastructure shortfalls, and policy gaps remain pressing challenges.
“An efficient logistics sector is not just a priority, it is a necessity,” Ambassador Gulbrandsen said.
NCCI President Tanveer Mohammad and HSBC Bangladesh CEO MdMahbubur Rahman echoed the call for reforms, stressing that stronger collaboration among policymakers, industry, and international partners will be crucial to sustaining Bangladesh’s trade momentum.
