Co esponding au ho : Md Ma u ul Islam Himul
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion Liscense 4.0.
Challenges and Oppo uni ies o T ading Companies unde Bangladesh’s LDC
G adua ion (2026)
Md Ma u ul Islam Himul *
Managing Di ec o , Mimul’s Sou cing, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(01), 4216-4224
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 26 Feb ua y 2025; e ised on 18 Ap il 2025; accep ed on 27 Ap il 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.26.1.1127
Abs ac
One o he bigges miles ones he coun y has made on i s jou ney o economic p og ess is planned in unde i e yea s
away- in 2026, Bangladesh is se o g adua e ou o he Uni ed Na ions Leas De eloped Coun y (LDC) s a us. This
change will ha e a - eaching e ec s in he ading i ms in he na ion and especially hose in ol ed in eady-made
ga men (RMG), ag o-based goods, and pha maceu icals ha a e he pilla s o i s expo economy. The end o
p e e en ial ma ke access and concessional bene i s will a ise wi h g adua ion and he consequen challenges include
highe a i s, s ic ules o o igin, and highe compliance cos s in he wo ld ma ke s. A he same ime, he
oppo uni ies exis in he way o di e si ica ion in expo des ina ions, mo emen owa ds high alue p oduc s,
a ac ing o eign di ec in es men , and gaining in e na ional compe i i eness. This pape will discuss how he LDC
g adua ion can ha e a wo-p onged e ec on ading companies in Bangladesh, in e ms o isks as well as oppo uni ies.
I also p o ides policy ecommenda ions and s a egic esponses ha should be adop ed o make ce ain ha he
coun y le e ages po en ial ulne abili ies in he pos -2026 e a.
Keywo ds: RMG; Clo hing; LDC G adua ion 2026; Bangladesh; Economy
1. In oduc ion
Bangladesh has achie ed excellen success in i s socio-economic g ow h du ing he las 50 yea s. Since i s independence
in 1971, he coun y was once ega ded as one o he poo es , bu now he coun y anks as one o he as es -g owing
economies in Asia. O e he pe iod o 2011 o 2022, Bangladesh has eco ded a GDP g ow h o mo e han 6 pe cen
di e sely due o s ong indus ializa ion end, s able emi ance, o an inc ease in domes ic consump ion (Wo ld Bank,
2023). I has been mainly an expo led ans o ma ion, whe e he me chandise expo s ha e inc eased almos en old,
om unde USD 1 billion a he beginning o 1980s o o e USD 55 billion in FY2023 (Expo P omo ion Bu eau [EPB],
2023). Ready-made ga men s (RMG) indus y is he main expo e , making up close o 85 pe cen o o al expo s, and
o he indus ies ha a e coming up a e pha maceu ical, lea he and ag o-based indus ies (BGMEA, 2022). The g ow h
has been made possible by ading companies ha ha e pa ed easy access o in e na ional ma ke s, nego ia ing i s
con ac s wi h global buye s, and ensu ing ha hey con o m o he in e na ional s anda d.
In la e 2021, a Uni ed Na ions Commi ee o De elopmen Policy (UN-CDP) ecommenda ion documen ed again he
p og ess made and he po en ial esou ces in he nex i e yea s by which Bangladesh is expec ed o g adua e ou o
Leas De eloped Coun y (LDC) s a us by No embe 2026. G adua ion en ails ul illing h esholds o h ee dimensions
namely: (1) he G oss Na ional Income (GNI) pe capi a, (2) he Human Asse s Index (HAI) and he (3) Economic and
En i onmen al Vulne abili y Index (EVI) (Uni ed Na ions, 2021). Bangladesh passed hese h esholds wice in a ow
because o inc eased income a es, inc eased li e acy, be e heal h access, and i s abili y o wi hs and he economic
shocks. A g adua ion is a ma k o success ul de elopmen o e he long- e m, bu i also b ings challenges. Wi h he
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(01), 4216-4224
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phasing ou o LDC-speci ic In e na ional Suppo Measu es (ISMs), Bangladesh will lose hei p e e en ial ma ke
access like he EU E e y hing bu A ms (EBA) scheme and o he du y- ee, quo a ee a angemen s in places like he
EU he UK, Canada and Japan. The In e na ional T ade Cen e (ITC, 2022) es ima es ha his dwindling p e e ence may
cause an ex a a i load o close o USD 2.5 billion on he expo s o Bangladesh, pa icula ly he ga men indus y.
The ading co po a ions a e a he hea o his ansi ion since hey media e be ween he domes ic p oduce s in he
wo ld and he global buye s. Whe he Bangladesh can emain compe i i e in he global ma ke depends on how hei
co po a ions will be able o adjus o new a i egimes, comply wi h mo e s ingen equi emen s o he ules o o igin,
and mee ESG s anda ds (Rahman & Ba i, 2022). Meanwhile, he e a e oppo uni ies ha could be ealized h ough
g adua ion: Bangladesh can po en ially en e ad anced pla o ms like he EU GSP and en e in o F ee T ade Ag eemen s
(FTAs) wi h i s neighbo s like India and China and ap on o he ma ke s o di e si y i s expo base ou o he classic
ma ke s. Mo e o he poin , g adua ion would ep esen s abili y and economic ma u i y, inc ease in FDI and po en ially
encou age inno a ion-d i en g ow h (ADB, 2021).
In such a con ex , he p esen pape in ends o examine he h ea s and p ospec s g adua ion poses o he ading
companies in Bangladesh. The s udy is amed in h ee majo objec i es:
• Iden i y impo an issues/challenges—including loss o ade p e e ences, inc eased compliance bu dens, and
inancial cons ain s— ha ading companies will con on once g adua ion is comple e.
• Look a po en ial ways o di e si y, p oduc upg ading and s a egic eposi ioning ha g adua ing may b ing.
• P opose some s a egies a bo h policy (go e nmen in e en ions) and he i m le el (adap a ion measu es o
ading companies) o acili a e a smoo h and compe i i e adap a ion in he global ading wo ld.
This s udy, by ul illing hese objec i es, will help ad ance he cu en deba e abou economic ans o ma ion in
Bangladesh, p o ide eal-li e expe iences o he policymake s in he go e nmen o Bangladesh, indus ial associa ions,
and he business leade s. The obus ness o ading i ms will play a c ucial ole no only o main ain he expo
pe o mance bu also de eloping compe i i eness o Bangladesh in he wo ld economy e en a e g adua ion.
2. Re iew o Li e a u e and Backg ound
Issue o LDC g adua ion and i s implica ions on in e na ional ade has had an a ay o s udy wi hin he de elopmen
economics and he ade policy li e a u e. G adua ion ou o he Leas De eloped Coun y (LDC) ca ego y is ega ded as
a de elopmen al miles one bu implies a p og essi e loss o special ade and inancial p i ileges, which can ha e a
eaching consequences on expo -dependen economies. Al hough g adua ion ele a es he global s a us o a coun y,
he e is a ques ion abou he compe i i eness o he expo s as p e e en ial ade schemes a e los owing o g adua ion
(Bha acha ya and Khan 2019).
Figu e 1 Sec o al Con ibu ion o To al Expo s
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(01), 4216-4224
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The e osion o ade p e e ences is one o he mos con o e sial sec ions o g adua ion. UNCTAD (2020) no es ha
LDCs a e g an ed a ious In e na ional Suppo Measu es (ISMs) such as du y- ee, quo a- ee (DFQF) ma ke access
bene i s, special ea men unde ag eemen s made by he WTO and accessibili y o concessional de elopmen inance.
Such ad an ages a e essen ial o hose na ions ha ha e some na ow baske s o expo s, and hei compe i i eness is
poo . When such p e e ences a e d awn ou , i is seen how he LDC economies end o ha e s uc u al weaknesses.
Lessons can be lea n wha o he coun ies who ha e al eady g adua ed ha e o each. The Maldi es ha g adua ed in
2011 has wi nessed di icul ies in main aining an expo compe i i eness le el since i has become dependen on one
indus y- ou ism- and is suscep ible o ex e nal shock (WTO, 2015). Samoa (which g adua ed in 2014) aced he
p oblem o low a i s and s ic equi emen s in e ms o sani a y s anda ds in de eloped ma ke s ela ed o i s
ag icul u al and ishe y expo s (UNCTAD, 2016). The example o Bo swana, which is no an LDC, bu a he a esou ce-
based de eloping s a e, showed ha e ec i e g adua ion could only be achie ed wi h a well-de eloped ins i u ional
capaci y and economic di e si ica ion, in manu ac u ing and se ices in pa icula (Wo ld Bank, 2017). These examples
unde lie he ac ha wi hou di e si ica ion and obus ins i u ional se ings, LDC g adua ion can pu coun ies a he
isk o s agna ion.
In case o Bangladesh, he concen a ion o he expo s uc u e is high. The nea monocul u e o expo s (i.e., he eady-
made ga men s, RMG, indus y con ibu es o up o 85 pe cen o Bangladesh o al expo ea nings) pu s he coun y in
a ulne able posi ion (BGMEA, 2022). The o he po en ial sec o s a e ag o-based p oduc s, pha maceu icals, lea he ,
ligh enginee ing, which a e eme ging, bu hei con ibu ion o i is insigni ican compa ed o ha o RMG. Such absence
o di e si ica ion inc eases he dange s o p e e ence e osion, especially in ma ke s such as he EU whe e he a i s
applied pos -g adua ion will go di ec ly o he compe i i eness o appa el (Rahman & Ba i, 2022).
The e a e s ong expo concen a ion in Bangladesh. Mos o he expo s, close o 70 pe cen , go o he Eu opean Union,
Uni ed Kingdom and he Uni ed S a es, and oppo uni ies a e ye o be exploi ed in Asia, A ica and La in Ame ica (EPB,
2023). Such dependence on a limi ed numbe o de eloped ma ke s has an added e ec o inc eased ulne abili y o
pos -g adua e shock in ade.
In sho , he e a e bo h h ea s and oppo uni ies o he LDC g adua ion. The co e issue acing Bangladesh is he
handling o ade p e e ence e osion and a he same ime di e si ying i s expo base, as well as he need o s eng hen
ins i u ional suppo mechanisms o main ain compe i i eness in he global ma ke s.
2.1. The p esen ading si ua ion in Bangladesh
T ading companies a e he cen e o Bangladesh expo sys em. Thei wo k as in e media ies be ween domes ic
supplie s, especially he SMEs in he coun y and he in e na ional buye s whe e hey nego ia e, unde ake logis ics and
ensu e compliance. As ADB (2021) no es, SMEs play a huge ole in he expo ne wo ks o Bangladesh whe eby hey
en e in o subcon ac ing a angemen s wi hin he RMG sec o . These companies depend on he ading houses o
acqui e access o inancing, ce i ica ions, and in o ma ion o in e na ional ma ke s.
Cu en ly Bangladesh de i es a ious p e e en ial ade ad an ages by being an LDC. These include:
• The EU has he so-called E e y hing Bu A ms, o EBA scheme, acco ding o which i p o ides du y- ee and
quo a- ee access o all p oduc s excep a ms and ammuni ion.
• The UK De eloping Coun ies T ading Scheme (DCTS) will eplace much o he ad an age o he EU EBA in pos -
B exi ade.
• The Gene al P e e en ial Ta i (GPT+ LDC) scheme o Canada ha p o ides du y ee access o i ually all
goods.
• The LDC scheme o Japan is one whe e he Bangladesh expo s o appa el expo s a e subjec o ze o a i .
• Na ional p edisposi ions o such a coun y as India and China owa ds expanding he co e age o DFQF o he
b oade ange o p oduc s (UNCTAD, 2022).
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Table 1 Expo ma ke di e si ica ion po en ial
These p e e ences ha e played an impo an ole in main aining he cos ad an age o he Bangladesh in he wo ld
ma ke s. As an example, Bangladeshi appa el en e s du y- ee unde he EU EBA, whe eas such Bangladesh compe i o s
as China, India and Vie nam sell impo ed goods unde Mos Fa ou ed Na ion (MFN) a i s o 912% (ITC, 2022). Loss
o hese bene i s would g ea ly supp essed compe i i eness unless coun e balanced by inc eases in p oduc i i y o new
Round ag eemen s
The ins i u ional suppo is also a eason behind suppo ing he expo pe o mance. The Expo P omo ion Bu eau
(EPB), Bangladesh ga men Manu ac u e s and expo e s Associa ion (BGMEA)and he Bangladesh Tex ile mills
associa ion (BTMA) a e some o he o ganiza ions ha ca y he p ocess o ad ocacy, ade acili a ion and capaci y
building o expo e s. O he esea che s like Bha acha ya & Khan (2019) poin ou ha hese ins i u ions a e weakly
coo dina ed and agmen ed; hence, hey canno se e he pu pose o ensu ing ha i ms mee global compliance and
sus ainabili y p inciples.
3. Hu dles o LDC G adua ion
3.1. A loss o Du y-F ee Quo a-F ee Access
The i s acu e dilemma o g adua ion will be loss o p e e en ial ma ke access. In he EU, which p ocu es mo e han
60 pe cen o RMG expo s o Bangladesh, ansi ion be ween EBA o MFN s a us may encou age an a e age a i a e
o 12 pe cen on expo ed p oduc s (Rahman and Ba i, 2022). This may pa e he way o losing up o USD 2.5 billion
each yea in e ms o expo compe i i eness, as pe ITC (2022). Al hough access o he EU GSP+ scheme could be
possible, such accession would demand a conside able numbe o ins i u ional changes in connec ion wi h a i ica ion
and implemen a ion o 27 in e na ional ag eemen s in human igh s p o ec ion, wo ke s igh s, en i onmen al
p o ec ion and go e nance (Eu opean Commission, 2022).
Table 2 Ta i impac by HS code ( Pos -LPC G adua ion)
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3.2. Rules o o igin
The e a e also o be s ic e ules o o igin (RoO) ha will come wi h g adua ion. Remembe ing EBA, Bangladesh can
enjoy lexible RoO, whe e i s impo a ion o aw ma e ial is pe missible, and s ill enjoy du y- ee access. A e
g adua ion, mo e aus e e RoO may exe p essu e on he domes ic backwa d linkage indus ies, pa icula ly in he
ex ile/ ab ics indus y, which emain highly ulne able o Chinese and Indian impo s (UNCTAD, 2020).
3.3. NTBs
Besides a i s, non- a i ba ie s (NTBs) also pose inc easing challenges o ading companies, especially on
en i onmen al, social and go e nance (ESG) s anda ds. The Co po a e Sus ainabili y Due Diligence Di ec i e (CSDDD)
by he EU and he likes o o he de eloped ma ke s equi e he companies ha expo goods o s ep up and assume he
ole o esponsible gua dians o wo kplace igh s, he en i onmen , and anspa ency (Eu opean Pa liamen , 2023).
Small and medium-sized companies ha e ewe esou ces and hus he compliance expendi u e may no be iable,
dec easing he compe i i eness.
3.4. S ain on he Finances
The o he challenge is associa ed wi h access o inance. As a LDC, Bangladesh has enjoyed concessional loans, so
inances and ade- ela ed aid. A e g adua ion, accessibili y o hese acili ies will educe, inc easing he cos o capi al
o he ading companies and expo e s (Wo ld Bank, 2023). This could es ain in es men on mode niza ion and
inno a ion which a e bo h impo an spu s o compe ence.
3.5. TRIPS (In ellec ual P ope y Righ s)
Bangladesh is cu en ly g an ed long-s anding excep ions o he WTO T ade-Rela ed Aspec s o In ellec ual P ope y
Righ s (TRIPS) egime, especially in d ugs. Upon i s g adua ion, he adhe ence o comple e TRIPS en o cemen will be
obliga o y o he coun y, which may inc ease he p oduc ion cos s in he pha maceu ical indus y and limi he
possibili y o p oducing gene ic medicine (WTO, 2021).
3.6. Domes ic Bo lenecks
Las ly, in e nal limi a ions a e also an unending issue. Ene gy sca ci y, ine iciencies a he Cha og am Po , poo
logis ics sys ems, and high anspo a ion cos s a e al eady a p oblem in e ms o expo compe i i eness (ADB, 2021).
G adua ion will inc ease hese disad an ages by ha ing expo e s bea addi ional a i s whils a he same ime
expe iencing ine iciencies a he domes ic le el. Unless he in as uc u e and logis ics e o m a e conduc ed wi h
subs an ial in es men s, Bangladesh will all behind in compa ison wi h compe ing coun ies like Vie nam and
Cambodia.
3.7. Oppo uni ies o LDC G adua ion
Al hough he g adua ion o Bangladesh will c ea e immense challenges, i will be accompanied by new oppo uni ies o
expansion and compe i i eness. I is when hese oppo uni ies a e apped app op ia ely ha hey can help he coun y
e-es ablish i sel as a mo e- alue-added, sus ainable ading hub.
3.8. EU GSP+ Eligibili y
Bangladesh will lose he EU scheme E e y hing bu A ms (EBA) a e g adua ion, bu can join he Gene alized Scheme
o P e e ences Plus (GSP+): his will allow hem access o app oxima ely 66 pe cen o a i lines du y- ee. I s a es
ha in o de o be eligible, he adhe ence o he 27 in e na ional con en ions on labo igh s, en i onmen al p o ec ion
and good go e nance should exis and be implemen ed e ec i ely (Eu opean Commission, 2022). GSP+ could educe
p e e ence e osion, gi en ha he EU is he la ges expo des ina ion o Bangladesh (mo e han 50 pe cen o o al
expo s), and also s imula e u he labo e o ms.
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Table 3 Oppo uni ies Summa y
Oppo uni y A ea
Desc ip ion
Po en ial Impac
EU GSP+ Eligibili y
Ze o-du y access i 27 con en ions
implemen ed
Re ain EU ma ke sha e
UK Enhanced
P e e ences
Con inua ion o appa el RoO ad an ages
Main ain UK expo s
Regional FTAs/CEPAs
Ag eemen s wi h India, China, Thailand, S i
Lanka
Reduce a i shocks, enhance egional
ade
Ma ke Di e si ica ion
GCC, Eas Asia, A ica
Reduce dependence on EU/US
P oduc Di e si ica ion
MMF ex iles, echnical ex iles, ag o, IT
se ices
Highe alue-added expo s
B anding Bangladesh
Sus ainable, high- alue p oduc s
S eng hen global image
A ac ing FDI
Signal o s abili y
In es men in manu ac u ing &
in as uc u e
3.9. UK enhanced p e e ences
Wi hin he pos -B exi wo ld, he De eloping Coun ies T ading Scheme (DCTS) has been o e ed whe e mos o he
expo s in appa els can con inue o en e UK wi hou du y paid (UK Depa men o Business & T ade, 2023) p o ided
Bangladesh can main ain compliance wi h ules o o igin (RoO). This p o ides sus ainabili y o a ma ke ha is al eady
con ibu ing almos 10 pe cen o he Bangladesh expo s.
3.10. Regional FTAs/CEPAs
G adua ion could cause Bangladesh o as en i s pace owa ds F ee T ade Ag eemen s (FTAs) and Comp ehensi e
Economic Pa ne ship Ag eemen s (CEPAs) wi h majo economies in he egion. Nego ia ions wi h India and china a e
al eady on cou se, whe eas Thailand and S i Lanka p omise o be a good pa ne (Islam & Khan, 2021). Such
unde s andings would gua an ee access o Asian ma ke s, minimise he a i shocks, and cons uc egional alue chain
in ex iles, ag o and elec onics.
3.11. Model Di e si ica ion o he Ma ke
Mo e han 80 pe cen o Bangladesh expo is ocused on he EU, he US, and he UK (EPB, 2023). G adua ion would
se e as an engine o di e si y o he Middle Eas (Qa a , UAE, Saudi A abia), Eas Asia (Sou h Ko ea, Japan, Malaysia)
and A ica wi h demand inc easing in hese ma ke s o a o dable appa el and ag o-p ocessed commodi ies. Besides,
he GCC ma ke s ha e been seen as an a ac i e des ina ion o expo ag o and halal-ce i ied oods (Rahman & Ba i,
2022).
3.12. P oduc Di e si ica ion
Bangladesh is o e dependen on co on clo hing which makes hem ulne able. New oppo uni ies in he man-made
ib e (MMF) ex iles, echnical ex iles (spo swea , p o ec i e gea ), ag o-p ocessed goods, pha maceu icals and IT
enabled se ices, e c. can di e si y he expo base (ADB, 2021). As syn he ic ibe s ha e inc eased in he ma ke globally
(abo e 65 pe cen o all ex ile consump ion), i is a no able po en ial o in es in capaci y building o MMF.
3.13. B anding Bangladesh
G adua ion places Bangladesh wi h he oppo uni y o change he ace o he coun y as low-cos manu ac u e o a
sus ainable, quali y-o ien ed expo e . Cus ome s a e inc easingly equi ing he adhe ence o en i onmen al, social and
go e nance (ESG) s anda ds. A la ge numbe o Bangladeshi companies a e al eady ma ke leade s when i comes o
g een ga men ac o ies and i can be used o b and (BGMEA, 2022).
3.14. FDI a ac ion-ag a ian
When a coun y g adua es, in es o s see i as a poin e o economic s abili y. The in low o o eign di ec in es men in
Vie nam and Cambodia g ea ly inc eased ollowing hei economic upg ade (UNCTAD, 2021). Likewise, Bangladesh may
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be a keen a ac ion o FDI in o he ields, including ene gy, logis ics, and high- ech manu ac u ing p o ided ha i s
policies a e p edic able and ha he in as uc u e is obus .
4. Policy, and S a egic Responses
To e ec i ely go h ough g adua ion, he e mus be ha monized eac ions o go e nmen and ading i ms.
Table 4 Policy and s a egic Responses
4.1. Go e nmen Ac ions
• The inal poin is o en e FTAs/CEPAs- Bangladesh should inc ease he pace in bila e al and egional ade
nego ia ions, including India, China, and Asian coun ies in he egion (Rahman, 2022).
• In es in up o da e o po /logis ics: In each occu ence, he expo e s also expe ience 3 5 ex a days a e
delay because o conges ion in Chi agong po (Wo ld Bank, 2023).
• Inc ease he EU GSP+ compliance as ack: To al compliance wi h he 27 con en ions is a mus ha allows
e en ion o he EU ma ke sha e (Eu opean Commission, 2022).
• Backwa d linkages: To adhe e o mo e igid ones wi h espec o he ules on o igin, augmen he
p oduc ion and p ocessing o MMF, lea he p ocessing along wi h accesso ies wi hin he coun y (Islam &
Khan, 2021). Mode niza ion and expansion is impo an .
• G een inancing: Powe SMEs wi h concessional loans agains ESG compliance, enewable ene gy and
sus ainabili y ce i ica ion.
• Capaci y-building ins i u ions: Ins i u ion like EPB, BGMEA, and BTMA need o ha e mo e au ho i y o
suppo , ma ke , and echnological assis ance and access digi al ade acili a ion.
4.2. S a egies in use by T ading Companies
Au oma e compliance sys ems: De elop aceabili y sys ems, blockchain pu chasing ou es and E hical Supply Chain
Audi s o mee in e na ional buye s.
Financial isk managemen : Employ he op ions o cu ency hedging, expo c edi insu ance and isk-sha ing scheme
o abso b he impac s o ex e nal shocks (ADB, 2021).
Ma ke di e si ica ion: En e new and eme ging ma ke s such as Gul , A ica and Eas Asia wi h a cus omized b anding
solu ion (e.g., halal-ce i ied ag o-p oduc s).
Digi al ade pla o ms: Use o e-comme ce and B2B pla o ms can widen he each o SME.
5. Case Examples
5.1. Case 1: Sec o Di e si ica ion in man-made ibe s (MMF)
Ha-Meem G oup, one o Bangladesh's leading ga men expo e s, has s a egically in es ed in man-made ibe (MMF)
and echnical ex iles o mee he g owing global demand o sus ainable and high-pe o mance appa el. This shi aligns
wi h he indus y's b oade end owa ds MMF, as co on-based expo s ace inc eased compe i ion and ma ke
sa u a ion. The exclusi e ocus on adi ional co on ga men s has inc eased he dependency o companies such as Ha-
Meem, which is why hey di e si y in o MMF o imp o e ma gins and hei independence. The mo e is also in esponse
o global buye s' inc easing p e e ence o sus ainable ma e ials. Ligh Cas le Pa ne s
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 26(01), 4216-4224
4223
5.2. Case 2: Lea he Indus y's Adop ion o Eco-F iendly P ocessing
In he Sa a -based anne y complex, some lea he indus ies ha e ins alled en i onmen - iendly was ewa e
ea men me hods o adhe e o he new and s eng hened en i onmen al legisla ion especially he EU s anda ds. These
e o s a e i al in keeping he EU buye s ha a e conce ned wi h he sus ainabili y issues in hei p ocu emen . The
implemen a ion o g een echnologies can no only sus ain hese ela ionships o expo bu also make such companies
leade s in he p oduc ion o he en i onmen ally iendly lea he .
5.3. Case 3: Ag o-P ocessing Company en u ing in New ma ke s o he Gul
An ag o-p ocessing company in Bangladesh has managed o pene a e in o he Gul Coope a ion Council (GCC)
coun ies, Saudi A abia and Qa a in pa icula , by gaining halal ce i ica ion and mode nising i s packaging plan . This
business decision has allowed he company o cap u e he expanding popula ion ha has an in e es in halal-ce i ied
ood p oduc s in hese a eas. The expansion is suppo ed by Bangladesh's i s -e e policy on halal ce i ica ion, which
acili a es he local p oduc ion and ma ke ing o sha iah-complian oods, pha maceu icals, and cosme ics.
HalalFocus.com - news abou he Halal ma ke
6. Conclusion
The LDC g adua ion in 2026 o Bangladesh is a majo miles one as well as a daun ing ask o i s ading i ms. The loss
o du y- ee ma ke s ance and due exposu e o la ge a i s will ouble he expo compe i i eness, especially in he
RMG clus e . Compliance wi h mo e es ic i e ules o o igin, ESG s anda ds and TRIPS obliga ions will u he add o
any inc ease in ope a ing cos s. Howe e , g adua ion also opens he doo s o inc eased oppo uni ies: he oppo uni y
o ecei e access o GSP+, he possibili y o di e si y ma ke s and p oduc s, and he possibili ies o in lows o FDI, as
well as he imp o emen o he na ional b and iden i y.
The yea s 2025 o 2029 will be he mos i al as Bangladesh gea s up hei i ms and he ins i u ions owa ds a pos -
LDC en i onmen . The ade s a egies adop ed should be mo e collabo a i e- he go e nmen should ocus on ade
diplomacy, in as uc u e mode niza ion and suppo ing SMEs, whe eas ading businesses will ha e o inno a e,
di e si y and imp o e compliance. G adua ion ough o, and wi h p ope managemen , can signi y no an end, bu a he
a new s a - no only will i be he w ap up o Bangladesh as an LDC, bu should be he dawn o a mo e ma u e and
sus ainable and in e na ionally compe i i e economy.
Compliance wi h e hical s anda ds
Disclosu e o con lic o in e es
No con lic o in e es o be disclosed.
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