The absence of an effective halal ecosystem and an independent authority for issuing accredited halal certificates excludes Bangladesh from the global halal industry, said the experts on Saturday.
The current value of the global halal industry is over $3 trillion and is projected to reach $9.45 trillion by 2034, where Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries are major markets for the sector.
However, Bangladesh鈥檚 halal exports were limited to around $850 million yearly, mostly agro-based products, they added.
They also said that despite being a Muslim majority country, Bangladesh lags behind Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and the United Arab Emirates in halal certification, governance, and market expansion.
They were speaking at a focus group discussion titled 鈥楧evelopment of Bangladesh Halal Industry: Challenges and Prospects鈥�, organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry at its office in the capital on Saturday.
At the discussion, Mominul Islam, assistant professor at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, presented the keynote.
He said that about 80 per cent of the global halal industry is occupied by non-Muslim majority countries, especially Brazil, Australia, and India, where Malaysia and Indonesia lead the markets among Muslim-majority countries.
鈥楤angladesh still lacks effective infrastructure like certified slaughterhouses, testing labs, and products鈥� traceability, along with a unified certification authority and consistent government鈥損rivate coordination,鈥� the keynote presentation added.
Malaysia and Indonesia have already applied blockchain certification, digital audits, and AI-based supply chain systems, whereas Bangladesh still lacks limited funding in research and development, poor country branding, and low awareness and training for small and medium enterprises. 鈥楾he country also has no linkage between industry and educational institutes regarding the halal sector, along with no formal national halal drug certification framework,鈥� the keynote added.
Moreover, both the Islamic Foundation and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution currently issue halal certificates, often resulting in procedural complexities.聽
In his welcome address, DCCI senior vice President Razeev H Chowdhury said that the rapidly growing global halal industry is currently valued at about $3 trillion and is projected to reach $9.45 trillion by 2034.
However, Bangladesh鈥檚 halal exports are limited, he added, saying that despite the immense potential, the country鈥檚 halal sector faces multiple structural and institutional challenges that hinder its desired growth.
The challenges include non-compliance with international halal standards, inadequate logistics infrastructure, tariff and certification constraints, lack of modern laboratories, shortage of skilled manpower, and the absence of an integrated halal ecosystem.
He stressed to establish an independent board to ensure global recognition of Bangladesh鈥檚 halal certification system.
He also called for a joint public鈥損rivate collaboration to set up internationally accredited testing laboratories.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, assistant manager (export) of the Paragon Group, emphasized the need for a digital, technology-based halal certification system and compliance audits to ensure product quality.
AGM Sayadul Haq Bhuiyan, head of supply chain and export of Bengal Meat, said that value addition and the use of blockchain technology to trace animal life-cycle data is a must.
He also said that halal certification authorities in Bangladesh must achieve international accreditation standards.
Md Abu Saleh Patwary, deputy director of the Islamic Foundation, mentioned that no single government entity is currently capable of issuing halal certificates independently, hence several institutions coordinate this process.聽
He also emphasized enhanced government monitoring for quality assurance of the halal products.
Baby Rani Karmakar, director general of the Export Promotion Bureau, said that the global halal market is growing by approximately 12 per cent annually; however, Bangladesh is still lagging behind.
She urged concerted efforts to increase Bangladesh鈥檚 market share in the global halal industry.
Md Ariful Hoque, director general, International Investment Promotion of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, stated that Bangladesh鈥檚 halal sector could play a vital role in export diversification in the post-LDC era.
鈥楾he government is seriously considering establishing聽a special economic zone dedicated to halal industries,鈥� he added.
Mohd Aminul Islam, director general of Bangladesh Accreditation Board, said that Bangladesh is lagging in global halal market participation but coordinated efforts could help unlock the sector鈥檚 full potential.
M Abu Hurairah, former vice-president of the DCCI, urged the government to offer small-scale incentives at minimal interest rates to encourage rural women鈥檚 participation in animal husbandry, which could significantly boost Bangladesh鈥檚 progress in halal food exports.
Leaders from the Dhaka Chamber, business representatives, and government officials also spoke at the event.