STAR BUSINESS REPORT

The 2023 edition of the three-day Bangladesh Leather Footwear and Leathergoods International Sourcing Show will begin at the International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital on October 12.

The Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) will organise the fourth edition of show in collaboration with the commerce ministry.

The organisers shared the information through a press conference yesterday in the city’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to open this year’s show, the theme of which is: “Possible. In Bangladesh.”

Leading leather manufacturing companies in Bangladesh will showcase their products at the expo. Over 200 participants from over 15 countries and innumerable visitors from home and abroad are expected.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that Bangladesh aspired to become a developed country by 2041 and the leather sector, which is the second-largest export earner for the country, plays an integral role in the nation’s march towards making this vision a reality.

Syed Nasim Manzur, president of the LFMEAB, said brands and sourcing companies were re-evaluating their sourcing strategies as the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic and global trade flows face major shifts.

Given such circumstances, the expo is expected to attract new buyers, many of whom are looking beyond Vietnam and China and towards countries like Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, he said.

Apart from the show, three dedicated breakout sessions will be held on the sidelines, where more than 200 industry leaders, policymakers, and foreign guests, including students from different universities, will take part, he informed.

Saiful Islam, advisor of the LFMEAB, said by showcasing Bangladesh’s capability and strength in this sector, the show would open the doors to new business opportunities and accelerate trade and investment.

James Ho, managing director of Xin Chang Shoes (BD) said they had already invested $130 million in Bangladesh for four factories, adding that a fifth was on the way.