United News of Bangladesh

A three-day Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2026 will begin in the capital on Monday. The expo will showcase domestic industrial capabilities, reduce reliance on imports, and create new opportunities for accessing international markets, organisers said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday. President of Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners’ Association (BEIOA) Abdur Razzaque said the expo, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and the World Bank-backed Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project will be held at Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre from February 2 to 4. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will attend the inaugural ceremony on February 2 as the chief guest. Hosna Ferdous Sumi, senior private sector specialist at the World Bank, and Md Abdur Rahim Khan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and project director of EC4J, will attend as special guests. Highlighting the sector’s importance, Abdur Razzaque said the light engineering industry provides crucial backward linkages to agriculture, textiles, construction, power, automobiles and household appliances. He said around 50,000 small and medium light engineering enterprises are currently operating across the country, employing more than 300,000 skilled workers and contributing nearly 3 per cent to the national GDP. Nearly half of Bangladesh’s US$8.2 billion domestic demand for engineering products is met locally through the production of more than 3,800 types of machinery, spare parts, tools, dies, moulds and engineering accessories. Heavy dependence on imported machinery and components still persists, indicating significant scope for further expansion, he said. Despite strong global demand, Bangladesh’s share in the nearly US$7 trillion global engineering market remains below 1 per cent, he said. Currently, exports from the light engineering sector stand at about US$795 million. With appropriate policy support, technological upgrading and increased investment, export earnings could reach US$12.56 billion by 2030, he added. Describing the expo as more than a display event, Abdur Razzaque said it will serve as an effective sourcing and networking platform, connecting manufacturers, buyers, suppliers, investors and policymakers, and facilitating technology transfer, business deals and access to global markets. More than 50 booths will showcase innovations and production capacity of local enterprises. Two seminars will be held alongside the expo—one on strategies to enhance global competitiveness after LDC graduation and another on the importance of research and innovation in developing the light engineering sector. BGMEA honours Hams Garments for achieving world’s highest score for green factories The BEIOA president said producing high-value exportable products requires product diversification and technology transfer, urging government support for adopting modern technologies, research and innovation. He also called for rationalisation of import duties on raw materials and easier import facilities to boost competitiveness. Organisers expressed optimism that the expo would strengthen the domestic industry, attract investment, create employment and enhance the global visibility of Bangladesh’s light engineering sector. The exhibition will remain open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project, under the Ministry of Commerce and funded by the World Bank, organised an orientation programme at Banani Club to prepare Bangladesh’s light engineering enterprises for Comex Singapore 2025, set to take place from March 13-16. Bangladesh will exhibit at booth no. 8403 in Hall 403 & 404, Level 4, at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The initiative, introduced through the Meet Bangladesh Sourcing Show (MBS), aims to highlight Bangladesh's growing light engineering sector and establish global market linkages. Sheikh Mohammad Abdur Rahman, Joint Secretary and Deputy Project Director of EC4J, attended as the chief guest, while Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Deputy Secretary and Deputy Project Director, presided over the event. Md. Kamruzzaman, Component Coordinator-2 (Productivity Enhancement Program); Aminul Islam, Procurement Specialist; Md. Habibur Rahman, Financial Management Specialist; and Abu Meraj Mohammad Fuad Uddin, Technical Specialist were present as special guests. Aramco to supply LNG to Bangladesh at lower prices: Rizwana  Jabed Ahmed, Chief Consultant at CEMS-Global, conducted the orientation, presenting an overview of the project and MBS. Representatives from leading light engineering firms, including Laxfo, Walton, Lumen, Datasoft Manufacturing, and Triple S Electronics, participated in the event. K.M. Rafiul Muttakin, Lead Consultant, and Nelson Shapon Biswas, Manager, were also present, alongside other officials from CEMS-Global.