Plastic goods export triples in 13 years

Plastic product exports from Bangladesh tripled in 13 years thanks to the rising local production of such items of global standards, Shamim Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) said today.

Bangladesh shipped $209.86 million worth of plastic goods in 2022-23 fiscal year, which was only $68.76 million in 2010-11 fiscal year, according to data of the BPGMEA.

Bangladesh is now the 12th largest exporter of plastic products in the world and the country has the potential to do a lot better in the days to come, Ahmed said.

The BPGMEA leader shared the information at a press conference at its Paltan office in Dhaka today to announce the schedule of the upcoming four-day International Plastic Fair (IPF) scheduled to begin on January 24.

Twenty countries along with Bangladesh are expected to participate in the exhibition, according to the joint organisers: the BPGMEA and Yorker Trade and Marketing Service Co Ltd.

The countries are China, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Korea, USA, UK, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Austria, Singapore, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Egypt.

Some 300 foreign companies occupying 700 stalls and 54 local companies at 161 stalls are scheduled to showcase their products at the event at International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka.

The IPF is one of the biggest events in South East Asian countries and it will help in attracting more investment and expanding the market size, the BPGMEA president said.

Along with modern products, the fair will also house new machineries, which will play an effective role in the local plastic sector to face the future challenges, he said.

Local plastic goods makers at present export their items to 126 countries, including USA, Canada and different countries in the European Union along with China, India and Nepal.

The local plastic sector is growing at 20 percent annually and every year new plastic factories are being established in the country, the BPGMEA president said.

New models and high-quality products are coming to the market and plastic has now emerged as an indispensable product in the global arena, he said.