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The government has drafted 'Bangladesh Business Promotion Council Ordinance, 2025', to institutionalise and strengthen public-private collaboration in enhancing the country's export competitiveness, diversifying products and markets, and simplifying trade procedures in line with international standards.
According to the draft, the proposed 'Bangladesh Business Promotion Council (BBPC)' will act as a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, with the mandate to assist entrepreneurs, traders, and relevant associations through coordinated initiatives involving both public and private sectors, a finance ministry source said.
Once enacted, the BBPC will replace the existing eight sector-based business promotion councils, ensuring better coordination among them.
The draft states that the head office of the council will be based in Dhaka, while branch offices may be established anywhere in the country with prior government approval to ensure smooth operations.
The draft ordinance states that the council's core responsibilities will include supporting formation and coordination of sector-based councils in potential export areas; providing training to improve the skills and capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs); assisting in research, innovation, and participation in domestic and international trade fairs.
It also has set a goal for identifying sector-specific export challenges and recommending solutions; promoting international standard certifications and compliance to ensure quality products and services for exports; and building effective networks among producers, exporters, and foreign buyers.
The council will also be responsible for implementing government-assigned tasks and policies related to trade facilitation and market diversification.
The Board of Directors of the Bangladesh Business Promotion Council will be chaired by the senior secretary or secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.
Other board members will include representatives from the Finance Division, Agriculture, Industries, and Fisheries and Livestock ministries, along with the vice chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and a representative of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), and vice chairmen of the eight sectoral councils under the BBPC.
A joint secretary and deputy secretaries would be executive director and directors of the council respectively.
Officials said the proposed ordinance would help strengthen Bangladesh's readiness for post-LDC trade realities by making the country's export sectors more competitive through compliance with global standards. According to the last World Bank report on the Ease of Doing Business, Bangladesh ranked 168th out of 190 countries.
In the World Bank's 2023 Logistics Performance Index (LPI), Bangladesh stood in the 88th position among 139 countries while lagging behind its South Asian counterparts.
When asked about the issue, Bangladesh Policy Exchange Chairman Dr. M Masrur Reaz told the FE that the new initiative was a positive step, as it could help local entrepreneurs, traders, and related organisations.
Through government-private cooperation or joint efforts, it can make trade procedures easier, diversify products and markets, and strengthen foreign trade capacity with better compliance.
He said that formation of sectoral councils with a central authority was a good initiative. However, the Council would comprise only one member from the private sector in its executive committee, which should be reviewed.
"Business belongs to the private sector," Dr Reaz said. "So, the private sector's involvement in policy-making should be increased to achieve the desired results."
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