[🇧🇩] Toy Industry of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Date of Event: May 23, 2025

Source : https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/bangladeshs-toy-story-going-global

Bangladesh's toy story going global
SAJIBUR RAHMAN

Published :
May 23, 2025 00:31
Updated :
May 23, 2025 00:31

Bangladesh's toy industry is emerging fast as a promising export sector, showing consistent growth over the past few years.

In the fiscal year 2016-17, the country exported toys worth $15.23 million. By FY21, the figure rose to $36.5 million, with toys reaching 46 countries, including the United States, Russia, Japan, Germany, India, and China, according to Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA).

The momentum continued in FY22, with exports growing to $44.52 million. During this period, key export items included tricycles, scooters, pedal cars, and dolls, which were mainly shipped to Spain, Italy, France, Japan, the US, the UK, and Germany.

In FY23, exports surged to $77 million, with products going to about 88 countries.

"If the current average annual growth rate of around 24 per cent continues, projections suggest that toy exports from Bangladesh could hit $466.31 million by 2030, placing the country among the world's top 30 exporters," said BPGMEA President Shamim Ahmed.

This rapid growth is supported by a combination of government incentives, such as tax benefits and export subsidies, and the country's cost-effective, competitive labour force.

Bangladesh's strategic geographical position offers easy access to key regional markets, making it an attractive location for toy production and export, according to industry insiders.

Furthermore, the growing number of toy manufacturers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has helped build local expertise in design and production, contributing to the sector's steady rise, they said.

The BPGMEA president said as part of its strategic roadmap, Bangladesh is aiming to establish dedicated toy manufacturing clusters, reduce export lead times, and encourage technology transfer and automation through greenfield investments.

Collaborative ventures with international brands are also being promoted to raise product standards and tap into established global supply chains, he pointed out.

With continued investment, regulatory compliance, and branding of "Made in Bangladesh" toys, the sector is poised for significant expansion, transforming into a dynamic export-oriented industry within the broader plastic manufacturing landscape, according to Shamim.

Rabiul Alam, admin officer at Sonic Bangladesh, told The Financial Express his company is expanding rapidly, with three new factories under construction in Dinajpur.

"We export to at least 20 countries, including European Union (EU) nations, such as Spain, Italy, France, and so on," he said on Thursday while showcasing the company's products at a two-day fair at InterContinental Dhaka.

The expo, organised by BPGMEA, will conclude today. It serves as a showcasing and sourcing platform for Bangladesh's plastic toy industry.​

Shamim said Sonic Bangladesh, now the market leader, alone exports toys worth $43 million annually.

Other major exporters include Cupcake Exports, a subsidiary of the US-based Cupcake Group, specialising in soft toys, with exports of $2.5 million, RFL ($2.0 million), ACI Premio Plastic ($1.0 million), and Zihan Plastics ($1.0 million). Hashy Tiger Company also exports toys.

Shamim noted that only 1.0 to 3.0 per cent of Bangladesh's population belongs to the affluent class, which is why the domestic market for high-end toys is limited.

"Most toy manufacturers focus on products for the wider population, as the demand for sophisticated and premium toys is very low locally," he explained. "A section of high-end consumers usually purchases imported toys, which discourages local producers from investing in upscale product lines."

Local toy manufacturers are increasingly focusing on complying with international safety and quality standards. Exported toys meet a range of regulatory benchmarks, including ASTM F963 in the US, EN71 in Europe, and ISO 8124 internationally.

Compliance with chemical safety regulations, such as REACH (EU) and CPSIA (USA), is crucial for accessing global markets. Certification marks like the CE marking for Europe and CPSC compliance for the US are now standard among major exporters.

Green certifications and ISO 9001 for quality management are also gaining importance as global consumers demand more sustainable and eco-friendly products, according to sector insiders.

Production covers plastic, soft, wooden, and educational toys, with a growing emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning kits, puzzles, tricycles, and plush objects.

These products not only entertain but also play a vital role in children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. Educational toys help build problem-solving skills, improve motor coordination, encourage imagination, and even support language and cultural understanding.

From rattles for infants to interactive robots and construction sets for older children, the variety in Bangladesh-made toys reflects both market demand and evolving global trends.

 

[Bilal9]

Sonic produces a million die-cast scale models per month – including of the winning cars of international rallies​

Inside a factory in Nilphamari, on both the sides of a green table, workers were giving final touches to Fiat Ducato Pilote campervans. At another table, others were assembling 1979 model Ford Transit Rally Assistance vans.

At a separate unit, some were painting London Fire AEC Regents.

Inner view of the factory. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

Inner view of the factory. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
This is the production unit of Sonic (Bangladesh) Limited's factory at the Uttara Export Processing Zone in Nilphamari.

Exterior view of the factory building. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

Exterior view of the factory building. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

It boasts a permanent car show displaying a: Ford Crown Victoria, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, Mini Cooper, Renault 4CV, Jeepney Taxi Manila, Tuk Tuk Bangkok Taxi, and many more. The winning cars of the Tour De Corse, Dakar Rally, Rallye Monte Carlo, and Le Mans were there too.

Model cars are on display at Sonic Ixo factory. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Plus there was Le Mans 1931 winner Sir Henry Birkin's red Alfa Romeo 8C. None of the vehicles were for sale on the domestic market.

A worker is giving a touch to the body of a model tank. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

A worker is giving a touch to the body of the model car. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Each of the workers – wearing aprons, disposable hats, and hand gloves – looked like Gulliver playing with tiny vehicles.

These workers are not automobile engineers. They make die-cast scale model vehicles.


Workers are preparing the model cars. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
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Workers are preparing the model cars. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

Every month, Sonic produces a million die-cast scale models. Its major export destinations are European countries – including Spain, France, UK, Germany, and Italy – and also Japan in Asia.

"We are one of the biggest die-cast model manufacturers exporting to the European market. We produce models of all car brands," said Benjamin Wong, the director of Sonic International (Toys) Limited, to The Business Standard.

In 1988, Sonic International was established in Hong Kong. In 2013 it launched production at its factory in Bangladesh.

Currently, Sonic's annual sales average $36 million.

He added, "Our products are not really toys. These are collectibles for youths aged 14 and above. The models are produced in different sizes or scales against the real measurements, like 1:18 and 1:24."

The scale of a model car is its size relative to that of the real car. For example, a 1:18 scale model means that the real version is 18 times larger in size. Benjamin said, "We have an engineering team in Europe that scans the real cars, and we reproduce the model cars accordingly."

These model cars weigh from 200g to 500g.

Model cars are on display at Sonic Ixo factory. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Assembling scale models, perhaps, is similar to crafting real cars.

The first step is to get permission from the original car manufacturers. After that, all the documents – like CAD computer data, factory drawings, photos – are obtained.

The collected information is then distributed to the engineering department – here, a team of sculptors create a three-dimensional model. Simultaneously, the project engineers elaborate computer drawings for all the different parts and tools.

"The raw materials – zinc alloy and virgin plastic – are sourced from China, Hong Kong and Thailand," said Hasibul Hasan, Sonic Bangladesh's HR, shipping and logistics manager.

Once the model prototype and technical drawings are prepared, the tools are worked on.

Manufacturing die-cast or resin model cars requires highly sophisticated die-cast body or resin cast forms, ABS plastic accessories, PVC rubber-type tires, and transparent plastic windows.

The metal body is produced using a die-cast injection machine, where the melted zinc alloy is sent inside the mould at a temperature of 470 degrees Celsius.

These die-cast bodies are trimmed and polished in a centrifugal drum containing ceramic stones. A similar process is required to inject the plastic parts.

Most of these parts, including the plastic parts, are hand-painted to give the models a sophisticated finish.

The decoration techniques include mask spraying, pad printing, electro painting silk-screen printed water decals.

All these decoration techniques are applied to the model by a select team of skilled craftsmen.

Model cars are on display at Sonic Ixo factory. Photo: Saikat Bhadra

When all the parts are painted and decorated, the models go through a final assembly line and are carefully checked. From here, they are packed and shipped all over the world.

Die-cast model cars are also popular items in advertising and promotion. Some car manufacturers need the models to launch their campaigns and other purposes.

To understand demand and popularity, the marketing department of the company closely follows the car industry and motor-sports.

At its Bangladesh facility, Sonic has more than four thousand workers. Among them, only 100 are foreigners.

Every month, Sonic pays a minimum of Tk4.5 crore in salaries to its workers.

 

[Saif]

Toy industry: From import reliance to export growth

In the heart of Dhaka, amid vibrant toy displays and the hum of industry conversations at InterContinental Dhaka, sector people were talking about a quiet revolution — one that could redefine Bangladesh’s export landscape and lessen its long-standing reliance on imported toys.

www.thedailystar.net

Toy industry: From import reliance to export growth

Over 40 local manufacturers are exhibiting products at the three-day Toy Show 2025 that began yesterday at InterContinental Dhaka. Photo: Star

In the heart of Dhaka, amid vibrant toy displays and the hum of industry conversations at InterContinental Dhaka, sector people were talking about a quiet revolution — one that could redefine Bangladesh's export landscape and lessen its long-standing reliance on imported toys.

The three-day Toy Show 2025, which kicked off yesterday, is an exhibition jointly organised by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), the Ministry of Commerce, and the government's Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project.

But beyond the cheerful toys and glossy stalls lies a deeper industrial vision.

Shamim Ahmed, president of the BPGMEA, summed it up aptly, "We are not just producing toys -- we are rewriting Bangladesh's industrial narrative."

For decades, Bangladesh's plastic industry was viewed as a low-value, low-tech sector made up of small factories churning out household items or packaging materials. But that perception is rapidly changing.

According to Ahmed, even seasoned readymade garment (RMG) exporters are diversifying into plastic, eyeing a sector where innovation, employment, and export potential are growing.

"This is no longer a cottage industry. We're building an ecosystem, from resin production to advanced moulding, geared for global markets," he said.

Indeed, the numbers speak volumes. The domestic plastic toy market is already worth Tk 12,000 crore. Over 300,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in the sector, supported by more than 152 factories scattered across the country.

As for exports, in FY17, plastic exports stood at a modest $15.3 million. Fast-forward to FY23 and that figure had skyrocketed to $77 million, a nearly fivefold increase in just six years.

This annual growth trend of around 24 percent indicates the sector's resilience and potential, Ahmed added.

At the centre of this growth story is the toy industry. Once a niche segment, it is now emerging as a strategic export driver.

Over 40 local manufacturers are exhibiting products at the three-day Toy Show 2025 that began yesterday. The major players at the show include Sonic (Bangladesh) Ltd, Zihan Plastic Industries, RFL Group, and ACI Premio Plastics.

Sonic (Bangladesh), an export-oriented toy manufacturer established in the Export Processing Zone at Nilphamari, some 350 kilometres northwest of capital Dhaka, exported toys worth around $43 million last fiscal year alone.

Md Robiul Alam, an administrative officer of the company, proudly shared that their workforce of 10,000 workers, mostly female, was poised to grow further, with plans to set up three new factories in Dinajpur, creating 20,000 more jobs.

Zihan Plastic Industries, based in Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, produces 220 toy items and is eyeing significant export expansion.

According to SM Nahidul Islam, general manager of the company, their export revenue jumped from $100,000 last year to a projected $250,000 this year.

"The domestic market itself is growing at a pace we never imagined," he said.

Kallan Biswas, senior manager (export) of ACI Premio Plastics, echoed similar optimism.

Exporting $1.2 million annually to countries like Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, and India, the company also sells Tk 30 crore worth of toys monthly in the local market.

"We employ over 500 people, 80 percent of whom are women. Toys are light work and our female workers are incredibly efficient," he added. Beyond toys, the broader plastic industry is undergoing a transformative shift from import dependency to domestic production.

"These developments surprise many policymakers," Ahmed noted. "They still think of plastic as low-tech, but the ground reality is different. We're evolving fast," he said.

He also pointed to the Gujarat model in India, where polymer industries became export dynamos. "We can replicate that success, and perhaps even surpass it."

If each of the 152 factories has an average investment of Tk 50 crore, the cumulative investment in this sector already stands at an estimated Tk 7,600 crore.

With newer factories rising in Nilphamari, backed by foreign investment from places like Hong Kong, the horizon is only getting brighter. However, despite the widespread optimism, challenges persist, ranging from infrastructure gaps to regulatory inertia.

Many export-oriented companies, like Sonic, are barred from selling in the domestic market due to policy restrictions.

There's also a need for improved trade facilitation, better port logistics, and incentives for resin production.

Still, stakeholders are hopeful.

With targeted policy support, Ahmed believes Bangladesh can emerge as one of the top three plastic-product-exporting countries globally within the next decade.

For Bangladesh, this isn't just about GDP numbers or trade surpluses. It's about jobs for women in rural factories, about young entrepreneurs seeing opportunity beyond garments, and about building a nation that makes, not just buys.​

 

[Bilal9]

Toy industry: From import reliance to export growth

In the heart of Dhaka, amid vibrant toy displays and the hum of industry conversations at InterContinental Dhaka, sector people were talking about a quiet revolution — one that could redefine Bangladesh’s export landscape and lessen its long-standing reliance on imported toys.

www.thedailystar.net

Toy industry: From import reliance to export growth

View attachment 17711
Over 40 local manufacturers are exhibiting products at the three-day Toy Show 2025 that began yesterday at InterContinental Dhaka. Photo: Star

In the heart of Dhaka, amid vibrant toy displays and the hum of industry conversations at InterContinental Dhaka, sector people were talking about a quiet revolution — one that could redefine Bangladesh's export landscape and lessen its long-standing reliance on imported toys.

The three-day Toy Show 2025, which kicked off yesterday, is an exhibition jointly organised by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA), the Ministry of Commerce, and the government's Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project.

But beyond the cheerful toys and glossy stalls lies a deeper industrial vision.

Shamim Ahmed, president of the BPGMEA, summed it up aptly, "We are not just producing toys -- we are rewriting Bangladesh's industrial narrative."

For decades, Bangladesh's plastic industry was viewed as a low-value, low-tech sector made up of small factories churning out household items or packaging materials. But that perception is rapidly changing.

According to Ahmed, even seasoned readymade garment (RMG) exporters are diversifying into plastic, eyeing a sector where innovation, employment, and export potential are growing.

View attachment 17712

"This is no longer a cottage industry. We're building an ecosystem, from resin production to advanced moulding, geared for global markets," he said.

Indeed, the numbers speak volumes. The domestic plastic toy market is already worth Tk 12,000 crore. Over 300,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in the sector, supported by more than 152 factories scattered across the country.

As for exports, in FY17, plastic exports stood at a modest $15.3 million. Fast-forward to FY23 and that figure had skyrocketed to $77 million, a nearly fivefold increase in just six years.

This annual growth trend of around 24 percent indicates the sector's resilience and potential, Ahmed added.

At the centre of this growth story is the toy industry. Once a niche segment, it is now emerging as a strategic export driver.

Over 40 local manufacturers are exhibiting products at the three-day Toy Show 2025 that began yesterday. The major players at the show include Sonic (Bangladesh) Ltd, Zihan Plastic Industries, RFL Group, and ACI Premio Plastics.

Sonic (Bangladesh), an export-oriented toy manufacturer established in the Export Processing Zone at Nilphamari, some 350 kilometres northwest of capital Dhaka, exported toys worth around $43 million last fiscal year alone.

Md Robiul Alam, an administrative officer of the company, proudly shared that their workforce of 10,000 workers, mostly female, was poised to grow further, with plans to set up three new factories in Dinajpur, creating 20,000 more jobs.

Zihan Plastic Industries, based in Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, produces 220 toy items and is eyeing significant export expansion.

According to SM Nahidul Islam, general manager of the company, their export revenue jumped from $100,000 last year to a projected $250,000 this year.

"The domestic market itself is growing at a pace we never imagined," he said.

Kallan Biswas, senior manager (export) of ACI Premio Plastics, echoed similar optimism.

Exporting $1.2 million annually to countries like Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, and India, the company also sells Tk 30 crore worth of toys monthly in the local market.

"We employ over 500 people, 80 percent of whom are women. Toys are light work and our female workers are incredibly efficient," he added. Beyond toys, the broader plastic industry is undergoing a transformative shift from import dependency to domestic production.

"These developments surprise many policymakers," Ahmed noted. "They still think of plastic as low-tech, but the ground reality is different. We're evolving fast," he said.

He also pointed to the Gujarat model in India, where polymer industries became export dynamos. "We can replicate that success, and perhaps even surpass it."

If each of the 152 factories has an average investment of Tk 50 crore, the cumulative investment in this sector already stands at an estimated Tk 7,600 crore.

With newer factories rising in Nilphamari, backed by foreign investment from places like Hong Kong, the horizon is only getting brighter. However, despite the widespread optimism, challenges persist, ranging from infrastructure gaps to regulatory inertia.

Many export-oriented companies, like Sonic, are barred from selling in the domestic market due to policy restrictions.

There's also a need for improved trade facilitation, better port logistics, and incentives for resin production.

Still, stakeholders are hopeful.

With targeted policy support, Ahmed believes Bangladesh can emerge as one of the top three plastic-product-exporting countries globally within the next decade.

For Bangladesh, this isn't just about GDP numbers or trade surpluses. It's about jobs for women in rural factories, about young entrepreneurs seeing opportunity beyond garments, and about building a nation that makes, not just buys.​

Other than toys - local plastics products like food containers/tupperware of various sizes and utility items have already gained major market share overseas.

The quality of the local food containers, industrial plastic items (including industrial logistics containers and pallets) made in Bangladesh easily matches the quality of those available in the US (even the ones made in Korea and Japan) as I have personally seen. Bengal Plastics is also a major tupperware, toy and children's plastic item exporter, they export hundreds of millions of dollars' worth every year.

 

[Lulldapull]

I build plastic scale models as a childhood hobby, so this is interesting news to me. Hornsby/ Humbrol/ Airfix have moved their injection molding production to India long ago.

 

[Saif]

Plastic toy makers in Bangladesh eye greater exports

The manufacturers of the country’s plastic toys are eyeing more exports alongside meeting local demand, amid a gradual growth of export earnings from the sector.

www.newagebd.net

Plastic toy makers in Bangladesh eye greater exports
Saddam Hossain 23 May, 2025, 22:21

Plastic toys are displayed at the Toy Expo 2025 in the capital Dhaka on Friday. | New Age photo

The manufacturers of the country’s plastic toys are eyeing more exports alongside meeting local demand, amid a gradual growth of export earnings from the sector.

The manufacturers, who participated in and demonstrated their products at Toy Expo 2025, also said that Bangladesh currently exported toys to 88 countries worldwide.

Moreover, once an import-dependent sector, Bangladeshi manufacturers could meet about 80 per cent of the local demand for plastic toys, while the country depended on imports for the remaining 20 per cent.

Moreover, in the 2023-24 financial year, the country earned about $36 million from exports, along with a cumulative average growth of 24 per cent, which meant plastic toys could earn approximately $466.31 million by 2030.

Forty local manufacturers exhibited products at the two-day Toy Expo 2025, which began in the capital on Thursday. It was organised jointly by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the Ministry of Commerce and the government’s Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project.

ACI Premio Plastics, a concern of ACI Group, have exported plastic toys worth $1.2 million to India, Nepal, Bhutan and Saudi Arabia.

Talking to New Age, Kallan Biswas, the company’s senior manager (export), said that they were eying exports to first-world countries, especially the US and EU.

‘Beyond export, we also sell plastic toys worth Tk 30 crore monthly at our local market and employ over 500 people,’ he added.

He also said that the plastic toys and the overall plastic industry were transforming from import dependency to domestic production.

Akij Plastic, another prominent player in plastic toys manufacturing, exported about $4.3 million worth of plastic and plastic toys annually to its global destinations.

The company, which is a part of Akij Group, exported its products to India, the US, Canada, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and some Middle Eastern countries.

Talking to New Age, Aminul Islam, the company’s manager (international business development), said that they were getting good responses from buyers at the expo.

‘We exhibit products here to establish a communication with both domestic and foreign buyers and we are getting good response,’ he added.

He said that they hoped the government would take a proper decision regarding the recent Indian decision to halt imports of Bangladeshi goods through land ports.

At the inauguration ceremony on Thursday, Shamim Ahmed, president of the BPGMEA, said they were rewriting the narratives of Bangladesh’s plastic industries.

He said that the plastic sector was no longer a cottage industry as they were building an ecosystem, from resin production to advanced moulding, geared for global markets.

He also said the local toy market was worth about Tk 7,000 crore.

In the plastic toy sector, among 152 factories, 147 Bangladeshi manufacturers invested about Tk 4,500 crore in their factories, primarily situated in Keraniganj, Kamrangirchar, various regions of Old Dhaka, Gazipur and some export processing zones and economic zones.

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

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

He also requested Bangladesh embassies in different countries to promote plastic toy exports, including all plastic products.

He requested foreign friends from the embassy in Dhaka, different agencies and buying houses, who were present, to help the Bangladesh plastic industry’s exports grow and reach their markets.​