Bangladesh seeks Malaysia’s support to establish halal industrial park

Bangladesh has sought Malaysia’s assistance to establish a Halal Industrial Park to tap into the rapidly growing global halal products market. The move aims to enhance Bangladesh’s presence in a market currently valued at $3 trillion and projected to reach $5 trillion by 2030.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, held discussions with Malaysian halal industry officials at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. “Let’s move forward on this important initiative,” Dr. Yunus said during the meeting.

This information was reported by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Wednesday.

The Malaysian delegation was led by Datin Paduka Hajah Hakimah Binti Mohammad Yusof, Halal Coordinator at Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Office. Also present were Sirajuddin Bin Suhaimi, Director General of the Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), and Hairol Arifain Sahari, CEO of the Halal Development Corporation (HDC).

Officials highlighted Malaysia’s leadership in the halal market, with at least 14 operational halal industrial parks. Other key competitors include Middle Eastern nations, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.

As the world’s third-largest Muslim population, Bangladesh holds significant potential to expand its halal infrastructure and certification capabilities. Currently, only the Islamic Foundation issues halal certificates in Bangladesh, with 124 institutions certified so far.

Chaudhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), urged Malaysia to help identify Bangladesh’s specific needs for setting up the halal park. “By working together, we can develop a roadmap to build a strong halal industry. Many Bangladeshi companies are keen to export halal-certified products,” he noted.

Describing the meeting as a valuable learning experience, Dr. Yunus expressed gratitude for the knowledge shared. “It was like attending a class on halal products,” he said.

Sirajuddin Bin Suhaimi announced that Malaysia would soon dispatch a team to Bangladesh to assess the country’s requirements.

The meeting was also attended by Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy Lutfe Siddiqi, and Senior Secretary for SDGs Lamia Morshed.