Bangladesh has huge potential to export halal products

Saying that the global market for halal products is growing daily, Jafar Uddin, the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, said that Bangladesh has huge potential to export halal products and increase its revenue.   

He was speaking as the chief guest at a workshop titled "Certification Capability of All Products, including Halal Products and Potential of Exporting Halal Products" at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital on Wednesday.

The commerce ministry secretary said that in 2024, Bangladesh will graduate from least developed country to developing country. 

"Then, there will be no benefits in export trade including the GSP [Generalized System of Preferences] facility, which is a big challenge for Bangladesh. So, there is no alternative to new product exports and market expansion. Exports should be increased by achieving the certification capability of all products including halal products," he said. 

It is possible to increase income tenfold by exporting halal products, he added.

Jafar Uddin continued, "Bangladesh would be able to become an important partner in the global market for halal products if the concerned ministries and departments of the government came forward with professionalism." 

Saying that many countries were working to form a halal certification authority, he said, "We can move forward by using the experience of those countries. We have enough halal products and skilled manpower."  

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce (IIT) said Md Hafizur Rahman president over at the workshop, while Professor Rumana Haque of the Department of Economics, Dhaka University addressed the workshop. 

The event was hosted by AHM Shafiquzzaman, additional secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, and Obaidul Azam, additional secretary of the ministry (Exports) also spoke.