[🇧🇩] Plastics Industry in Bangladesh

[Saif]

Four-day int’l plastic fair begins

Commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Wednesday said that the plastic products could play an important role in tapping the potentials for diversifying further the country’s exportable items...

www.newagebd.net

Four-day int’l plastic fair begins
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka 12 February, 2025, 23:18

Commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, secretary Md Abdur Rahim Khan, SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Md Jasim Uddin, FBCCI administrator Md Hafizur Rahman, BPGMEA President Mr. Samim Ahmed and Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service Company Limited overseas director Akai Lin, among others, inaugurate the 17th Bangladesh International Plastics Fair 2025 at Bashundhara International Convention City in the capital Dhaka on Wednesday. | Press release

Commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Wednesday said that the plastic products could play an important role in tapping the potentials for diversifying further the country’s exportable items.

He came up with this remark as chief guest at the inaugural session of a four-day 17th International Plastic, Packaging and Printing Industrial Fair at the Bashundhara International Convention City in the capital Dhaka.

Bashir said, ‘We need to set our policies in light of reality. In return, we will prevent bad plastic and live with good plastic. We must responsibly strive to increase the production and use of good plastics.’

He said that Bangladesh was going to graduate from the least developed countries in November 2026. As a result, the preferential access that the country enjoys in terms of exports would not be there, said a commerce ministry press release.

The government will also not be able to provide any incentives, the commerce adviser said, adding, ‘In this case, the country needs to increase its competitive edge to overcome the situation.’

‘We’ve to be competitive in productivity and production costs of commodities. If we don’t have the capacity, we’ll fall into great danger,’ he said.

Deputy project director of Export Competitiveness for Jobs project, Akay Lin of Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service Company Limited, secretary Sheikh Md Abdur Rahman and president of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Md Jasim Uddin spoke as special guests at the event with KM Iqbal Hossain, senior vice-president of BPGMEA in the chair.

BPGMEA president Shamim Ahmed delivered the welcome address.

Later, the commerce adviser visited various stalls at the fair.

The fair is being organised jointly by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Hong Kong-based Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service Company Limited.

The International Plastic Fair is featuring more than 800 stalls with more than 390 brands from 18 countries.

Companies from China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, United Kingdom and other countries will showcase their products and technologies at the fair.

It will remain open to visitors from 11:00am to 7:00pm every day.​

 

[Saif]

Plastic exports surge amid rising global demand

Shipments go up 21.25% in first eight months of FY25

www.thedailystar.net

Plastic exports surge amid rising global demand
Shipments go up 21.25% in first eight months of FY25

The local plastic sector has seen strong export growth in the first eight months of fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, driven by increasing global demand, product diversification, and enhanced production capacity.

From July to February in FY25, the sector recorded a 21.25 percent rise in exports compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), plastic product exports reached $203.63 million during this period, up from $166.59 million a year earlier.

"European buyers are increasingly turning to Bangladesh to reduce their reliance on China," said Md Jashim Uddin, managing director of Bengal Plastics Limited.

"This shift has allowed Bangladesh to capitalise on the opportunity and expand its global presence," he said.

In 2023, the global plastics market was valued at $712 billion, with a total production of 413.8 million tonnes.

By 2033, the global plastics market is projected to grow to over $1,050 billion, according to the Geneva Environment Network, a cooperative partnership of over 75 environmental and sustainable development organisations based in Geneva.

Jashim Uddin said that the sector could achieve even better results if the business environment remained stable.

He said political unrest had severely impacted the industry, with miscreants destroying three of his factories, including a fully export-oriented manufacturing unit.

As a result, his company lost an $11 million export order from a German buyer. "If my factory had been able to fulfil these orders, the export volume would have exceeded the current figures," he said.

Jashim Uddin added that his company had been unable to contribute to exports for the past seven months due to the damage caused to its factory.

He also pointed out that the ongoing gas crisis and inconsistent power supply were disrupting production and affecting export performance.

Meanwhile, RN Paul, managing director of RFL Group, a subsidiary of Pran-RFL Group, said the sector had seen a significant increase in export orders, especially from new foreign markets.

"While the sector previously focused on European exports, it has now successfully expanded to North America, Australia, and several African nations," he said.

Referring to export growth over the past eight months, Paul said RFL Group alone recorded around 35 percent growth during this period.

The company has also secured around $10 million in advance export orders from North America, further boosting confidence in the industry's future, he added.

The managing director said the sector will continue its upward trajectory as businesses introduce new product categories, such as toys, to diversify their offerings. With more export destinations and expanding product lines, Bangladesh's plastic industry is poised for sustained growth, solidifying its position as a key player in the global market, he added.

Shamim Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), said Bangladesh currently holds only 0.5 percent of the global plastic market, but exports are steadily growing.

He said exports are expected to rise further as the global market expands.

According to Ahmed, the domestic plastic market is currently worth around $3 billion, with 83.4 percent of production consumed locally and 16.4 percent exported.

He said manufacturers aim to capture a 3 percent share of the global market in the coming years.

Ahmed elaborated on the sector's export potential in toys, bags and sacks, household items, engineering products, and electronic and electrical goods.

He said the sector had experienced double-digit growth in recent years, driven by rising demand from both traditional and new markets.

This growth, he said, is the result of strategic investments in manufacturing, compliance with international quality standards, and government incentives.​

 

[Bilal9]

Plastic exports surge amid rising global demand

Shipments go up 21.25% in first eight months of FY25

www.thedailystar.net

Plastic exports surge amid rising global demand
Shipments go up 21.25% in first eight months of FY25

View attachment 15193

The local plastic sector has seen strong export growth in the first eight months of fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, driven by increasing global demand, product diversification, and enhanced production capacity.

From July to February in FY25, the sector recorded a 21.25 percent rise in exports compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), plastic product exports reached $203.63 million during this period, up from $166.59 million a year earlier.

"European buyers are increasingly turning to Bangladesh to reduce their reliance on China," said Md Jashim Uddin, managing director of Bengal Plastics Limited.

"This shift has allowed Bangladesh to capitalise on the opportunity and expand its global presence," he said.

In 2023, the global plastics market was valued at $712 billion, with a total production of 413.8 million tonnes.

By 2033, the global plastics market is projected to grow to over $1,050 billion, according to the Geneva Environment Network, a cooperative partnership of over 75 environmental and sustainable development organisations based in Geneva.

Jashim Uddin said that the sector could achieve even better results if the business environment remained stable.

He said political unrest had severely impacted the industry, with miscreants destroying three of his factories, including a fully export-oriented manufacturing unit.

As a result, his company lost an $11 million export order from a German buyer. "If my factory had been able to fulfil these orders, the export volume would have exceeded the current figures," he said.

Jashim Uddin added that his company had been unable to contribute to exports for the past seven months due to the damage caused to its factory.

He also pointed out that the ongoing gas crisis and inconsistent power supply were disrupting production and affecting export performance.

Meanwhile, RN Paul, managing director of RFL Group, a subsidiary of Pran-RFL Group, said the sector had seen a significant increase in export orders, especially from new foreign markets.

"While the sector previously focused on European exports, it has now successfully expanded to North America, Australia, and several African nations," he said.

Referring to export growth over the past eight months, Paul said RFL Group alone recorded around 35 percent growth during this period.

The company has also secured around $10 million in advance export orders from North America, further boosting confidence in the industry's future, he added.

The managing director said the sector will continue its upward trajectory as businesses introduce new product categories, such as toys, to diversify their offerings. With more export destinations and expanding product lines, Bangladesh's plastic industry is poised for sustained growth, solidifying its position as a key player in the global market, he added.

Shamim Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), said Bangladesh currently holds only 0.5 percent of the global plastic market, but exports are steadily growing.

He said exports are expected to rise further as the global market expands.

According to Ahmed, the domestic plastic market is currently worth around $3 billion, with 83.4 percent of production consumed locally and 16.4 percent exported.

He said manufacturers aim to capture a 3 percent share of the global market in the coming years.

Ahmed elaborated on the sector's export potential in toys, bags and sacks, household items, engineering products, and electronic and electrical goods.

He said the sector had experienced double-digit growth in recent years, driven by rising demand from both traditional and new markets.

This growth, he said, is the result of strategic investments in manufacturing, compliance with international quality standards, and government incentives.​

In the financial year 2024, the total Cumulative value of different polymers and plastics export from India was USD 7 Billion (excluding specialized engg. plastics etc.)

According to Ahmed, the Bangladesh domestic plastic market is currently worth around $3 billion, with 83.4 percent of production consumed locally and 16.4 percent exported ($490 Million).

He said manufacturers aim to capture a 3 percent share of the global market in the coming years. Which would be worth roughly $21.4 Billion.

This is a tall order and highly optimistic - but possibly achievable in a decade given current trends. Lots of room to grow.

Per capita polymer and plastics consumption in India and Bangladesh are roughly around 8~9 KG per year as reported in 2024, but plastics waste generation is higher in India, recycling is much lower.

​

 

[Saif]

Plastic toys have potential to earn $1b: BPGMEA

Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Shamim Ahmed said that the plastic toy sector has the potential of fetching about $1 billion in export earnings in the coming years if it gets adequate policy support...

www.newagebd.net

Plastic toys have potential to earn $1b: BPGMEA
Staff Correspondent 20 May, 2025, 23:24

Press release

Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Shamim Ahmed said that the plastic toy sector has the potential of fetching about $1 billion in export earnings in the coming years if it gets adequate policy support.

He also said that the toy sector is currently growing at a rate of 15 per cent a year and is expected to grow by more than 20 per cent by 2030.

The current investment of Tk 4,500 crore is projected to double by then, creating employment for nearly 30,000 people, he hoped.

Shamim was speaking at a pre-event press conference on ‘Toy Expo’ in the capital on Tuesday.

The two-day ‘Toy Expo’ is scheduled to be held at InterContinental Dhaka on May 22 and 23. It will be jointly organised by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the Export Competitiveness for Job Project.

He also said that the sector›s current export earnings are $36 million, and toy exports› cumulative average growth rate is 24 per cent.

Shamim Ahmed also said that, based on this growth, toy exports are estimated to reach approximately $466.31 million by 2030. Bangladesh could become the 28th largest toy exporting country by 2030 if this trend continues.

He added that with these potential rises, Bangladesh could earn $1 billion from plastic toy exports consequently.

He said that the local toy market is worth about Tk 7,000 crore. In the plastic toy sector, 147 Bangladeshi manufacturers invest about Tk 4,500 crore in their factories, mostly situated in Keraniganj, Kamrangirchar, various regions of Old Dhaka, Gazipur, and some export processing zones and economic zones.

He added that Bangladeshi manufacturers could meet about 80 per cent of the local demand for plastic toys, while the country depends on imports for the remaining 20 per cent.

The plastic toy sector employs about 20,000 people and can produce 1,000 types of plastic toys priced from Tk 20 to Tk 5,000.

Regarding the policy support, Shamim Ahmed urged the government to enhance support and facilities in setting up modernised and compliant toy factories.

He also urged the industry stakeholders to focus on product and market diversification.

He urged the government to reduce import duties on various raw materials required for the toy industry.

He also sought government support in transforming the industry with innovative, modernised, and advanced technology as same as competitors like China, Vietnam, or Taiwan.

As toys are innovative products, Shamim Ahmed urged the government to provide infrastructural support to promote the creation of unique and novel toys by managing patent designs.

He also said that just a decade ago, the country imported 9 per cent of plastic toys, but the situation is quite reverse now.

To showcase the potential of Bangladesh, the toy expo could play a vital role.

‘Bangladeshi products must compete with globally recognised toy brands and, to do this, we need the rapid establishment of a plastic industrial city,’ he added.

According to the BPGMEA, 45 companies will showcase their products through 36 stalls, including two pavilions.

BPGMEA senior vice-president KM Iqbal Hossain and vice-president Quazi Anwarul Haque, along with other sector leaders, were present.​

 

[Saif]

Plastic exporters for 1pc duty on machinery imports

The plastic goods manufacturers and exporters of the country demanded a reduction in import duty to 1 per cent in the proposed budget for importing machinery, parts, and raw materials...

www.newagebd.net

Plastic exporters for 1pc duty on machinery imports
Staff Correspondent 18 June, 2025, 22:20

The plastic goods manufacturers and exporters of the country demanded a reduction in import duty to 1 per cent in the proposed budget for importing machinery, parts, and raw materials.

Shamim Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association, placed the demand while speaking at a press conference on the proposed budget for FY26 in the capital on Wednesday, where he presented 15 proposals related to the plastic industry budget.

As per an SRO issued in 2021, members of garment and textile sector associations are entitled to only 1 per cent import duty on machinery, along with exemptions from VAT and other duties, they recalled.

But, the plastic goods exporters have to pay import duties ranging from 25 per cent to 50 per cent on machinery and parts imports, they said.

‘Extending the same benefit to plastic manufacturers would help the sector become more self-reliant and globally competitive in exports,’ he added.

He also said that to enhance skills and production capacity, increased use of machinery and modern technology is essential.

‘But due to complications with duties and VAT, many companies are discouraged from importing new machinery,’ he added.

He also said that despite the country’s most promising sector, the plastic item manufacturers have to pay a 5 per cent duty to import raw materials.

He urged the government to reduce it to 3 per cent in the implementation of the proposed budget.

The plastic manufacturers urged the government to fix the VAT rate at 5 per cent on the production level of plastic tableware and kitchenware, instead of the government’s proposal to raise the VAT by 7.5 per cent and then 15 per cent in phases from the existing 5 per cent.

To protect the local plastic industry, they urged the government to revoke the proposal to reduce supplementary duty on the import of some plastic items, which the government had reduced by 5 per cent and 10 per cent.

These items included plastic hangers, doors and windows, furniture, crates, plastic pallets and others.

The association also urged raising the customs duty to 25 per cent from the existing 15 per cent on importing rigid PVC sheets and PVC foil to safeguard the local plastic industry.

He also stated that nearly all plastic manufacturing units have suffered over the past one and a half years due to the ongoing energy crisis, with many forced to shut down.​

 

[Saif]

A Bangladeshi scientist has discovered an alternative to plastic. It's Bacterial cellulose. He proved that Bacterial cellulose is a promising alternative to traditional plastics due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and unique material properties. Bacterial cellulose offers a biodegradable, versatile, and high-performance alternative to conventional plastics across various industries.

 

[Saif]

Mobilising grassroots to deliver new plastic recycling goals

There have been a lot of public conversations and concerns often raised over the growing plastic pollution in the country. Finally, in August, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines on Plastic Waste Management. This...

en.prothomalo.com

Mobilising grassroots to deliver new plastic recycling goals

Parvez Uddin Chowdhury

A girl looks on as she sits next to a pile of used plastic bottles in a recycling factory in Dhaka on 5 May, 2021. Global warming. Disappearing plant and animal species. Fertile land turning to desert. Plastic in the oceans, on land, and the air we breathe. These urgent environmental challenges will be in the spotlight over the next few months as the UN hosts four major sessions to address key threats to the planet. AFP

There have been a lot of public conversations and concerns often raised over the growing plastic pollution in the country. Finally, in August, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines on Plastic Waste Management.

This month the National Plastic Action Plan Partnership (NPAP) has been launched by the environment, forest and climate change ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP). These are certainly important steps to manage plastic waste and eliminate plastic pollution through unified national action.

In a country of more than 170 million people, plastic pollution cannot be tackled by the government alone. It is not realistic to expect the government to manage plastic waste across every village, town, and city. The only solution is for everyone to participate and contribute. The guidelines mark an important shift in how responsibility for plastic waste is shared.

Sustainable progress will require collective action from producers, consumers, and local communities. By channeling producer funding into building and empowering community-based waste management systems, the EPR framework, if compliance is ensured, has the potential to strengthen grassroots recycling efforts and deliver lasting environmental impact.

Globally, there is now a growing acknowledgement that reducing plastic pollution requires collective responsibility. Every individual, institution, and sector has a role to play. This new framework will play a significant role in expanding waste collection and recycling infrastructure, formalising the informal waste collection sector and developing a circular economy of plastic waste.

Government agencies provide regulations and public infrastructure, but long-term sustainability requires civic ownership. Proper waste management is a shared societal duty; every household, shopkeeper, and community member generates waste and must play an active role in its lifecycle.

A worker of a van-based waste collection service collects household rubbish in the Palashi area, Dhaka on 13 May 2026 Prothom Alo

The framework holds producers, brand owners, and importers accountable for post-consumer waste, setting mandatory collection targets starting at 15 per cent and scaling up to 30 per cent. Under the new guidelines, waste being collected directly by municipal bodies cannot count toward a company’s compliance target. This obligates businesses, either individually or through collective Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), to build distinct, verifiable collection channels. Rather than duplicating infrastructure, producers should channel compliance capital straight into neighborhood-level systems.

So how do we ensure that everyone is engaged and actively contributing to tackling this growing crisis? Research shows that people are far more likely to adopt environmentally responsible habits when they see others around them doing the same.

In both urban and rural areas, communities and societies are organised around mosques, making it a powerful platform for awareness and collective action
We have often seen that there is not enough social pressure to act sustainably. It indicates that we have to build strong, motivated communities that are inspired to act and address this issue in their respective area.

When communities become confident, organised, and inspired, they can drive the kind of collective change that no policy alone can achieve. There are already examples of community actions funded by corporate brand owners that are making significant changes in our country. We need to fund more of such initiatives under the new framework.

We know that plastic pollution is not only a national challenge, it is a global crisis. If we can engage our educated youth in grassroots campaigns, community mobilisation, and waste management, it is not just beneficial for local communities—it opens pathways to professional opportunities with international relevance. Global initiatives increasingly prioritize community driven approaches, social norm shifts, and behavior change strategies as essential tools for tackling plastic pollution. These are the same skills young people can develop through grassroots environmental work in Bangladesh.

With this new framework, community based initiatives can be empowered and can play a highly influential and sustainable role. In both urban and rural areas, communities and societies are organised around mosques, making it a powerful platform for awareness and collective action.

One point we have to note that currently a large share of plastic bottles and other items that have post-consumer commercial value are being collected and processed, though the system needs to be formalized. The crisis is being exacerbated by the various food packaging and thin single use polyethene that have no post-consumer recycle value. Only community-based approaches can tackle this.

A woman lays discarded polythene bags to dry on the bank of Buriganga river. Once these bags are dry, they will be processed into particles to produce plastic. Photo taken from Kamrangirchar area in Dhaka Suvra Kanti Das

Having an active system for segregating, collecting and managing daily waste is a bigger part of building healthier and more resilient community. If communities are empowered with knowledge, training, and incentives under the new EPR rules, local youths are far more likely to participate because they will be the immediate beneficiaries.

A major obstacle to tackling plastic pollution is the country's limited waste management capacity. The EPR guidelines offer a practical pathway to address this gap by investing in community-led collection, sorting, and recycling networks. Combined with sustained local engagement, these efforts can foster greater public participation and encourage more responsible waste disposal practices.

However, the success of the EPR framework will ultimately depend on effective compliance and accountability mechanisms. One key concern has been already highlighted that a uniform compliance structure may disproportionately affect micro, cottage, and small enterprises, which often lack the resources available to larger companies. Future work can be on how these gaps can be minimised and made it more practical for all involved.

* Parvez Uddin Chowdhury is a development worker and climate enthusiast.​