DHAKA, July 18, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh's 'Halal Economy' has the potential  to emerge as a new avenue for export diversification and strengthen the  country's position in the global market, speakers said at a workshop here  today. They said Bangladesh could significantly increase its halal exports through  the establishment of a single halal authority, internationally recognised  certification and testing systems, and coordinated policy initiatives. The observations came at a workshop titled "Halal Export Diversification",  organised by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) in the capital. BCI President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) chaired the event while Export  Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Additional  Secretary) Mohammad Hasan Arif attended it as the chief guest, said a press  release. The keynote paper was presented by Dr Md Mominul Islam, associate professor  at the IUBAT Business School. Designated discussants included former  Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) President  Shabbir A. Khan and Dhaka University Economics Department Prof Dr Md Deen  Islam. Speaking as the chief guest, Mohammad Hasan Arif said export diversification  is one of the country's most important priorities at present. He said the global halal economy encompasses a wide range of products and  services beyond agricultural and food items, offering Bangladesh significant  opportunities to expand its export basket. The EPB, he said, is ready to provide all necessary support to exporters to  tap into the growing halal market. Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury said Bangladesh must place equal emphasis on  developing domestic industries and diversifying exports as the country  prepares for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. He noted that ready-made garments (RMG) currently account for about 82  percent of Bangladesh's total exports, generating around US$38.28 billion in  export earnings while halal product exports stand at only US$850 million,  despite the sector's enormous potential. Referring to global market trends, he said the halal market was estimated at  US$3.3 trillion in 2025 and is projected to grow to US$9.45 trillion by 2034. He added that demand for halal products is increasing not only among nearly  two billion Muslims but also among consumers of other faiths because of their  emphasis on health, quality, ethics and safety. According to him, only about 20 percent of the potential global demand for  halal products is currently being met, leaving vast opportunities for  expansion. He stressed that Bangladesh should establish itself internationally as a  trusted "Halal Brand" by leveraging its Muslim-majority status. Among others, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh  Accreditation Board Director General Md Aminul Islam, Association of Testing  Laboratories Bangladesh President Md Ahsan Habib, BCI Director Zia Haider  Mithu, Bengal Meat Head of Export AKM Sayadul Haque, former Bangladesh  Competition Commission Director Md Khaled Abu Naser, Bangla Chemical Chief  Executive MS Siddiqui and representatives from various public and private  organisations attended the workshop. The workshop also put forward several recommendations to boost halal exports,  including branding Bangladesh as an international halal hub, establishing a  unified halal authority, ensuring Shariah compliance, health standards and  ethical benchmarks throughout the production and supply chain, setting up  internationally accredited testing laboratories, drawing on the experiences  of countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, strengthening research  and development, and developing the skilled workforce and infrastructure  required for a robust halal ecosystem.