The term, "One District One Product (ODOP)", is designed to achieve the target of producing and exporting at least one product from each district of Bangladesh. These products should have past heritage of glory along with much production possibility and marketing prospect in the world. The Export Promotion Bureau, under its product promotional activities, is implementing ODOP programme initiated in line with One Village One Product (OVOP) movement of Japan with a view to producing quality products as well as exporting the same at very competitive prices, which enables the export sector of Bangladesh to reduce sole dependence on apparel. This programme also makes Bangladesh able to expand her production base in the rural areas by putting upgraded indigenous technologies and local raw materials available for mere use of exporting products from those areas. Another objective of this programme is to reduce rural unemployment problem including the economic problems of the tribal people of the country. Ultimately, this programme would help accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty in Bangladesh.

From time immemorial Bangladesh has been regarded as the abode of folk art and craft. Similarly natural climate of Bangladesh has added favorable atmosphere for bringing about effective outcome in the field of agriculture. In the past, the cottage industry of this land was able to meet requirements of acid test where the villages were the centre points of all economic activities including export. In respect of style, fashion, design, usefulness, price and quality the products of this land were very competitive and acceptable equally both at home and abroad.

Dhaka and Chittagong are the main production areas of Bangladeshi exportable commodities, which indicate the special characteristics of the export sector of the country. To meet production need of exportable commodities, employees are concentrating continuously in Dhaka and Chittagong that increases the cost of production as costly areas of the country and creates several social problems as well. Moreover, export of products from Bangladesh mainly depends on imported raw materials which takes turn at low value addition and more lead time in exportation of goods. As a result, Bangladesh is unable to take the benefit from the areas of rural unemployment and production of local raw materials-dependent exportable products. These impediments may strike the competitiveness of exportable products of Bangladesh.

Export sector is considered to be one of the important contributors to the economic development of Bangladesh. As a single sector, it contributes modestly to the country's GDP and shares about 70% of the total import payment of the country. After independence of the country, the export sector achieved more than 10% average growth rate for this land. In the FY 2010-2011 export sector of Bangladesh has earned about USS 23.00 billion with 41.49% growth rate. During the prolonged recession in the recent past, only 12 countries of the world achieved growth in the export business and Bangladesh was one of them. Despite the sign of considerable growth in the export sector, there is no room for complacency as it depends heavily on limited products, markets and production areas, which is not a good sign for the country's economy.

To keep pace with the present globalization and to compete with other countries, heavy dependence on such limited products, markets and production areas cannot carry forward the export of Bangladesh. If the export of 2-3 limited important products faces obstruction, the overall situation of the country will be adversely affected. In this situation, effective measures in export promotional efforts are needed to face the challenges of export sector of Bangladesh.

The scenario of the export sector shows that product diversification and inclusion of new items in the list of exportable commodities have become urgent for Bangladesh to curb the vulnerability of this sector. Bangladesh has huge scope to increase the production of some commercially viable products which have past glory, own identity and acceptability both at home and abroad, and have been being produced by using local tradition, culture and indigenous technologies. In order to utilize such scope, the Export Promotion Bureau, as promotional organization, has taken One District One Product (ODOP) programme through in-depth analysis with active participation of district administration and products-related specialists along with concerned business communities. Under ODOP programme, the Export Promotion Bureau has identified 14 product groups from 41 districts that have tremendous potential for export. Among the identified product groups, 11 are agriculture based and 3 are small and cottage industry based. At present, pilot programmes only for 3 products out of selected 14 ones are being implemented with the decision of the government. These 3 products are Agar Wood & Atar, Rubber and Clay Tiles. District-wise identified product groups are-

Stirring up local leadership and talent of rural areas in relation with the export business from their dormancy is an important task for implementing the programme, ODOP. Establishing ownership of entrepreneurs on their own products and making them suitable for export markets are the other challenging jobs of this programme. In order to face the challenges, the Export Promotion Bureau has taken strategies to involve all concerned in implementing the programme through forming product-wise Groups of marginal producers, and product-related District/Upazilla Committee headed by District Commissioner or Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) comprising members of all concerned public and business communities. With a view to monitoring and providing necessary support, a Steering Committee headed by Director General of the Export Promotion Bureau, will also be formed. A common Logo will be used to ensure the quality and fair price of the ODOP products.

Necessity of ODOP programme is obvious in overcoming the vulnerability of the export sector of Bangladesh. Expectation of this programme is to install the export sector of this country on a strong base. This would also find success in exploring the ways and means to cope with the emerging challenges in the wake of globalization and in turning the existing opportunities of the export sector of Bangladesh into real benefits. The programme, ODOP, would enable Bangladesh to achieve balanced and sustainable development in the export sector through ensuring more value addition in producing exportable goods and to expand her production areas of the most prospective, traditional and naturally favorable products. It would be possible to bring back the past business heritage of glory and to save the export sector as well as the rural people from the bad impact of free market economy through flourishing the talent and providing ownership to their own products. It would also be possible to generate employment for rural people and to reduce the dependence on limited exportable products. The result of this programme would exert influence on achieving the goals of the government of Bangladesh in the field of economic development and poverty alleviation of the country.