Light Engineering Expo begins today

The Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2026, a three-day event aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and export potential of the light engineering sector, begins in the capital today (Monday).
Organisers made the announcement at a press conference on Sunday, saying that the expo is expected to be a key platform for showcasing domestic industrial capacity, reducing import dependency and opening new doors to international markets.
President of Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association (BEIOA) Md Abdur Razzaque said the expo is supported by the Ministry of Commerce and the World Bank-backed Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project.
The exhibition will be held at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre from February 2 to 4 and will remain open daily from 11:00am to 7:00pm. It will feature the latest technologies, components, and innovative products from the light engineering sector.
Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will attend the inaugural ceremony 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 be present as special guests.
Highlighting the importance of the sector, Abdur Razzaque said the light engineering industry provides critical backward linkages to key industries such as agriculture, textiles, construction, power, automobiles and household appliances.
He noted that the sector currently employs over 300,000 skilled workers in 50,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Bangladesh, contributing nearly 3 per cent to the national GDP.
Razzaque also pointed out that local production meets nearly half of the country's $8.2 billion domestic demand for engineering products, which includes over 3,800 types of machinery, spare parts, tools, dies, moulds, and engineering accessories.
However, the sector remains heavily reliant on imported machinery and components, indicating significant room for growth and self-sufficiency, he added.
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, the country's 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.
The expo will feature a wide array of products, including construction and packaging machinery, agricultural equipment, electrical goods, jute and textile machinery parts, automobile components and moulds.
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.
BEIOA president Abdur Razzaque presented several policy proposals to advance the sector's sustainable development.
Responding to a question, he said they have been urging the National Board of Revenue for several years to withdraw duties on the import of raw materials, expressing hope that the government would come up with a solution soon.
He pointed out a clear disparity in the duty structure, noting that while the import duty on finished goods is only 1 per cent, duties on raw materials used to produce the same products go as high as 57 per cent.
He urged the government to address and rationalise this disparity to support domestic manufacturing.

sajibur@gmail.com