Bangladesh Commerce Minister Urges Halal Export Diversification

Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has named the halal economy as one of the high-potential sectors the country should tap to widen its export mix, speaking as chief guest at a seminar in Dhaka on August 12, 2026. The event, “Halal Ecosystem in the ASEAN Region and opportunities for Bangladesh,” was organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its own auditorium, according to BSS, the state news agency.

Quick answer: At a BIISS seminar in Dhaka on August 12, 2026, Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir named the halal economy an export-diversification priority and said domestic production capacity must be raised before exports can grow. Five strategic priorities, including an internationally acceptable national halal assurance framework, were identified at the seminar, per Business in Bangladesh.

Minister Calls for Domestic Capacity First

“Bangladesh needs to diversify its export basket by tapping high-potential sectors such as the halal economy,” Muktadir said, according to BSS. He added, “To increase exports, we must first enhance our domestic production capacity.” Addressing the same seminar, per Business in Bangladesh’s report of the event, Muktadir said “the halal economy can no longer be limited to the food and beverage sector.”

The minister described a global halal market that now stretches across finance, technology, logistics, tourism, modest fashion, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, according to BSS. The same report said Bangladesh is pursuing free-trade, preferential-trade, and economic-partnership agreements, though it didn’t name any counterpart country.

Five Priorities Identified at the Seminar

Five strategic priorities for the sector were identified at the seminar, as listed by Business in Bangladesh: a national halal assurance framework that would be internationally acceptable; specialized halal industry clusters served by modern laboratories and advanced logistics; equipping existing production sectors for international standards and competitiveness; drawing in SMEs, researchers, and young entrepreneurs; and using economic diplomacy to establish a “Bangladesh Halal Brand” in the global market.

Islamic Foundation and BSTI Join the Panel

BIISS Director General Major General ASM Redwanur Rahman delivered the welcome address, and BIISS Research Director Dr Mahfuz Kabir presented the keynote paper, according to Business in Bangladesh. The panel discussion included Akhtar Hossain, deputy director for halal certification at the Islamic Foundation, and SM Abu Sayeed, deputy director at the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), the outlet reported.

The seminar’s title, as BSS rendered it, set the ASEAN region‘s halal ecosystem alongside opportunities for Bangladesh. Bangladeshi national outlets including The Business Standard, the Daily Sun, The Financial Express, and New Age carried the story on August 12 and 13.

Neither BSS nor Business in Bangladesh reported a timeline for acting on the five priorities identified at the seminar.

Separate July Workshop Cited Halal Export Figures

Figures on the size of Bangladesh’s halal trade were presented at a separate event. At a Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) workshop on “Halal Export Diversification” held in Dhaka on July 18, 2026, BSS reported that ready-made garments made up about 82 percent of the country’s total exports and earned roughly US$38.28 billion, while halal exports came to only US$850 million. The same BSS report estimated the global halal market at US$3.3 trillion for 2025 and projected US$9.45 trillion by 2034.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister say about halal exports?

At a BIISS seminar in Dhaka on August 12, 2026, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the country should widen its export mix by moving into high-potential areas including the halal economy, and that domestic production capacity has to be raised first, according to BSS. He also said the sector doesn’t stop at food and beverages, per Business in Bangladesh.

What five halal priorities were identified at the Dhaka seminar?

Business in Bangladesh’s report of the August 12, 2026 seminar lists five: an internationally acceptable national halal assurance framework, dedicated halal industry clusters with laboratory and logistics support, existing production sectors equipped for international standards and competitiveness, the involvement of SMEs, researchers, and young entrepreneurs, and a “Bangladesh Halal Brand” promoted through economic diplomacy.

How much does Bangladesh currently earn from halal exports?

At a July 18, 2026 workshop in Dhaka organized by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, halal exports were put at only US$850 million against roughly US$38.28 billion in ready-made garment earnings, BSS reported.

How big is the global halal market?

BSS reported an estimated worldwide halal market of US$3.3 trillion in 2025 and a projection of US$9.45 trillion by 2034. Those figures were presented at a Bangladesh Chamber of Industries workshop held in Dhaka on July 18, 2026.

Which Bangladeshi institutions took part in the seminar panel?

Business in Bangladesh reported that the panel at the August 12, 2026 seminar included Akhtar Hossain of the Islamic Foundation, who is deputy director for halal certification, and SM Abu Sayeed, a deputy director at the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).