The Commerce Ministry has begun drafting a dedicated roadmap to address the challenges facing Bangladesh's leather and footwear industry, tap into the domestic market and boost exports, Commerce Secretary Ataur Rahman Khan said Thursday.
"The draft will be published on the ministry's website to gather feedback from stakeholders," he said addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 10th Bangladesh Leather and Footwear Expo 2026 as chief guest at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka.
The secretary said a high-level committee, chaired by the commerce minister, has been formed for the overall development of the leather sector.
In line with the prime minister's directive, the ministry is preparing a work-oriented roadmap for the industry, he said, adding that the real-life experiences and needs of tannery owners, manufacturers, traders and technologists will be reflected in it.
Highlighting the sector's potential, the secretary said raw materials for the industry are available locally and the capacity of the country's technologists has grown. "Besides encouraging people to use locally made leather goods, there is scope to expand exports in the international market."
Pledging government support to help exporters meet buyers' requirements and standards, he said entrepreneurs must be provided with the necessary information and assistance on environmental and social compliance, technological capacity and global market demand.
To that end, the ministry is working on a responsible business conduct framework and a national traceability framework, he said. "There are also plans to introduce separate traceability systems for priority sectors."
Stressing stronger industry-academia collaboration to boost research, Ataur said students and researchers of leather technology need to be connected more effectively with tannery owners and entrepreneurs. "Efforts will be made to include the issue in the roadmap."
Organisers said leather is Bangladesh's second-largest foreign currency earner after the ready-made garment (RMG) industry, with strong prospects for entering new markets and consolidating its position in existing ones. However, they said, proper planning and special initiatives are needed to realise that potential.
Besides processed leather, Bangladesh exports footwear, travel bags, belts and wallets, while fashion accessories made of leather are also in demand. Many local handicraft firms are shipping such products abroad.
Alongside larger manufacturers, the country has around 5,500 small footwear factories. Bangladesh ranks eighth globally in footwear production and ninth as a consumer market.
The country 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 primarily shipped to Italy, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Domestic demand for footwear is also rising fast, organisers said.
Local companies are receiving production orders from renowned global brands, prompting many leather and leather goods makers to expand their businesses.
The expo is being organised jointly by the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), the Leather Engineers and Technologists Society, Bangladesh (LETS'B) and Limra Trade Fairs and Exhibitions Pvt Ltd.
The three-day event runs until September 26 at ICCB, open daily from 10am to 7pm. More than 250 reputed local and foreign companies are taking part.