[🇧🇩] Footwear, Rubber and leather Industry in Bangladesh

[Saif]

Leather goods makers urge govt to clear unpaid cash incentives

Leather goods and footwear manufacturers and exporters have requested the government to clear the outstanding cash incentives. Leather goods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) President Syed Nasim Manzur recently wrote to the Finance Division to take st

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Leather goods makers urge govt to clear unpaid cash incentives
FE REPORT
Published :
Jan 30, 2025 00:39
Updated :
Jan 30, 2025 00:39

Leather goods and footwear manufacturers and exporters have requested the government to clear the outstanding cash incentives.

Leather goods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) President Syed Nasim Manzur recently wrote to the Finance Division to take steps in this connection.

A Finance Division official told The Financial Express, "We have received the letter and are working on it."

The government currently owes the association's member factories more than Tk 3.0 billion as cash incentives, which has not been cleared due to a lack of funds, according to Manzur's letter.

He said the member factories are facing an emergency as there is a recession in the export markets, while buyers have stopped placing new orders due to Bangladesh's present law and order situation as well as image.

Besides, the production costs of various leather items have increased due to the high-priced raw materials, higher dollar prices, and fuel and transportation costs, Manzur noted.

On the other hand, the association members have to pay over Tk 2.22 billion as wages and bonuses to their workers before the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holiday, he said.

To help the factory owners weather the storm, he requested the Finance Division to take prompt action and provide liquidity support.

Otherwise, the factory owners will fail to pay salaries and bonuses to their workers, which may trigger labour unrest, causing the country's law and order situation to deteriorate, read the letter.​

 

[Saif]

Built by expat brothers, rural factories send shoes abroad

In search of a better future, Md Selim and Hasanuzzaman Hassan migrated to the US roughly over three decades ago. The brothers eventually found success in construction business there but could not ignore the urge for contributing to their homeland.

www.thedailystar.net

Built by expat brothers, rural factories send shoes abroad

The non-leather shoes made in the factories of rural Rangpur are currently being exported to European and Indian markets. Photo: collected

In search of a better future, Md Selim and Hasanuzzaman Hassan migrated to the US roughly over three decades ago. The brothers eventually found success in construction business there but could not ignore the urge for contributing to their homeland.

Driven by a desire to make a difference in their country, they returned home, leaving behind a secure and comfortable life. Subsequently, they built cold storage facilities and footwear factories in northern Bangladesh.

The non-leather shoes made in these factories in rural Rangpur, around 300 kilometre northwest of capital Dhaka, are currently being exported to European and Indian markets. The export destinations include Poland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Canada. The shoemaker also is now in process to send products to the United States.

Besides, the factories now employ nearly 3,000 workers, mostly women who were previously unable to contribute financially to their struggling families.

The brothers' journey of change began in 2007 when they returned to Bangladesh with Tk 3.5 crore for a potential investment. Although there were political and economic uncertainties at the time, they had a clear focus: to contribute to their home community meaningfully.

In 2009, they built a cold storage in Nilphamari for agri items like seeds and potatoes. In 2012, the brothers established their second facility at Mithapukur of Rangpur.

They soon turned to the footwear industry, a decision that would transform the local employment landscape for women.

In 2017, they built a shoe factory, BLING Leather Products Ltd, on 9.5 acres of land at Ghonirampur area of Taraganj.

Hassan said there were a lack of raw materials and a skilled workforce at the time, but their dream was to create employment in the locality and set an example as expatriates.

The second unit of the shoe-maker has been inaugurated recently.

But the beginning of their journey was far from easy. According to Hassan, they faced difficulties in management and technology, partly because their factory was far from the capital Dhaka.

Besides, the lack of shoe-making and exporting experience was another challenge.

By 2020, the brothers managed to start shoe production, primarily churning out 300 pairs per day. In 2021, the firm entered the global market.

Hassan said they earned Tk 320 crore from the shipment of synthetic shoes to Europe and India in last fiscal year 2023-24.

Meanwhile, in 2023, Selim passed away after suffering from age-related complications for years.

"Managing the business in such challenging times was difficult," said his younger brother Hassan.

Last Friday, Managing Director and CEO of Rupali Bank Kazi Md Wahidul Islam inaugurated the second unit of BLING Leather. To ensure international standards, the company has sourced machinery from Taiwan and Italy.

Rupali Bank is financing Tk 90 crore to expand the firm's production capacity.

In terms of local employment, the new unit marks another milestone. Currently, the two factories employ around 2,900 workers.

Hassan said the production lines have helped reduce unemployment in the area, providing stable incomes for families that once struggled to make ends meet.

"Just five or six years ago, men in the area had to leave in search of work while women remained unemployed. Today, the scenario has changed dramatically," he recalled.

With the second unit now operational, some 15,000 pairs of shoes are being produced daily. By 2026, Hassan said they aim to increase production to 50,000 pairs per day.

Hamida Khatun, a worker at BLING Leather Products Ltd, said she started working at the factory more than a year ago.

"Before this job, my family depended solely on the income of my husband, who is a rickshaw-van puller. Now, I earn Tk 10,000 per month, and our financial condition has improved," said Khatun.

"I feel empowered knowing that I contribute to my family's well-being," she added.

After four years of international market entry and latest expansion, BLING Leather now aims to accomplish an export target of Tk 700 crore by the end of 2028.

But for Hassan, life is not just about gains. "Rather, it's about contributing to the nation meaningfully," he said.​

 

[Saif]

https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/footwear-sector-offers-lucrative-investment-opportunities-bida-3826941

Footwear sector offers lucrative investment opportunities: Bida
Sustaining growth and enhancing competitiveness are key challenges

Bangladesh's footwear sector is at a turning point, offering lucrative investment opportunities in both the leather and non-leather segments. However, challenges in sustaining growth and enhancing competitiveness remain, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) highlighted in a newsletter released yesterday.

"We see huge potential in this sector. If sufficient facilities are provided, the industry will take off and become a major export earner," said Shah Mohammad Mahboob, an executive member of Bida.

He added that they were working to negotiate with the National Board of Revenue to provide the necessary facilities to attract investment in this sector.

According to Bida, the rise of non-leather footwear—driven by changing consumer preferences and environmental concerns—is opening new investment opportunities, even outpacing the leather footwear sector in terms of growth over the past decade.

"We see huge potential in this sector. If sufficient facilities are provided, the industry will take off and become a major export earner," said Shah Mohammad Mahboob, an executive member of Bida

Referring to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bida said non-leather footwear exports grew by 120 percent over the last decade, far exceeding the 6 percent growth rate of leather footwear during the same period.

In the first seven months of FY25, non-leather footwear exports rose by 40.11 percent year-on-year to $318.09 million and are expected to exceed half a billion dollars by the end of the fiscal year.

However, while Bangladesh is the eighth-largest footwear producer in the world, leather goods and footwear remain the dominant force, generating $1.6 billion in exports last fiscal year.

Riad Mahmud, managing director of Shoeniverse Footwear Ltd., a concern of the National Polymer Group, said this offers great potential.

"If any corporate entity makes a major investment in the non-leather footwear sector, it will be a profitable venture," he said.

According to him, Bangladesh has only 15 compliant non-leather shoe factories, which require a capital investment of around Tk 35 crore to set up—posing a barrier to market entry.

Bida also pointed out that many tanneries and footwear factories struggle to meet global environmental and labour standards.

Mahmud further highlighted a shortage of skilled workers and complexities in customs procedures during the import of raw materials and shipment of products.

Hasanuzzaman Hassan, chairman of BLING Leather Products Ltd., a non-leather shoe factory based in rural Rangpur, said he now exports to Poland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, India, and Canada.

His company started shoe production in 2020, initially producing 300 pairs per day. In 2021, the firm entered the global market.

He envisions a promising future for synthetic footwear, stating that his company earned Tk 320 crore from synthetic shoe exports last fiscal year.

However, despite its strong performance, Bangladesh's footwear industry faces several challenges that must be addressed, Bida highlighted.

The lack of a domestic supply chain for synthetic materials increases production costs and lead times, affecting global competitiveness. Meanwhile, inefficiencies in customs clearance, inadequate port facilities, and shipment delays create difficulties for exporters.

The industry also requires specialised labour, but a lack of training programmes is hampering efficiency.

Furthermore, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which make up a large portion of the industry, struggle with high interest rates, strict loan conditions, and limited access to financial support—posing major challenges to the growth of small-scale factories.

To sustain growth and remain competitive, the focus must be on policy reforms and investment, Bida recommended.

It suggested developing a bonded warehouse system to reduce dependence on imported raw materials and improving logistics and customs processes to enhance export efficiency.​

 

[RogerJat]

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