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A three-day Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2026 will begin in the capital on February 2 (Monday), aiming to make the country’s promising light engineering sector more competitive and export-oriented.
Organisers said the expo would showcase domestic industrial capacity, reduce import dependence, and create new opportunities to access international markets.
Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association (BEIOA) president Md Abdur Razzaque made the remarks at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday.
He said the expo, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and the World Bank–backed Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project, will be held at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre from February 2 to 4.
The exhibition will be open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, showcasing the latest technologies, components, and innovative products from the lighting engineering sector.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will attend the inaugural ceremony on February 2 as the chief guest. Hosna Ferdous Sumi, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank, and Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Project Director of EC4J, will attend as special guests.
Senior government officials, representatives of the FBCCI, business chambers and associations, as well as local and foreign buyers, entrepreneurs and investors, are also expected to attend.
Highlighting the importance of the sector, Abdur Razzaque said the light engineering industry provides critical backward linkages to agriculture, textiles, construction, power, automobiles, and household appliances.
Currently, approximately 50,000 small and medium-sized light engineering enterprises operate across the country, employing more than 300,000 skilled workers. The sector contributes nearly 3 per cent to the national GDP.
He said nearly half of Bangladesh’s $8.2 billion domestic demand for engineering products is met locally through the production of more than 3,800 types of machinery, spare parts, tools, dies, moulds, and engineering accessories.
However, significant reliance on imported machinery and components still remains, indicating substantial potential for further expansion.
Despite strong global demand for engineering products, Bangladesh’s share in the nearly $7 trillion global market remains below 1 per cent, he noted.
Currently, Bangladeshi light engineering exports stand at approximately $795 million. With appropriate policy support, technological upgradation, and increased investment, export earnings from the sector could reach $12.56 billion by 2030, he added.
Describing the expo as more than a display event, Abdur Razzaque said it would function as an effective sourcing and networking platform, directly connecting manufacturers, buyers, suppliers, investors, and policymakers, thereby facilitating technology transfer, business deals, and international market entry.
The expo will feature construction and packaging machinery, agricultural equipment, electrical goods, jute and textile machinery parts, automobile components, dies and moulds, among thousands of industrial products.
More than 50 booths will showcase the innovation and capacity of local enterprises.
Two seminars will be held alongside the exhibition—one focusing on strategies to enhance competitiveness in the global market after LDC graduation, and the other on the need for research and innovation in developing the light engineering sector.
The BEIOA president also presented several policy proposals to advance the sector’s sustainable development.
Senior vice-president of BEIOA, Md Abdur Rashid, vice-president Raju Ahmed, central directors of the association, and representatives of the Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project of the Ministry of Commerce were present at the press conference.
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