Swisscontact, through the SAFE BD project funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), organised the National Agro-Export Promotion Event in Dhaka under the theme “Towards Export Readiness: Partnerships and Collaborations.” The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters’ Association (BFVAPEA), SGS Bangladesh, and private exporters to discuss collaborative actions for enhancing Bangladesh’s agro-export competitiveness through stronger Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) systems and institutional coordination. The event was graced by Mr. Mahbubur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, as the Chief Guest. In his address, he emphasised the importance of strengthening partnerships between government institutions and the private sector to unlock Bangladesh’s agricultural export potential.
A key feature of the event was a panel discussion titled “Unlocking Agri-Export Competitiveness through SPS Capacity Strengthening,” which convened experts from public institutions, industry, and the private sector to reflect on the current challenges and opportunities in Bangladesh’s agro-export landscape.
The panelists highlighted key challenges and opportunities to enhance Bangladesh’s agri-export competitiveness — including food safety concerns such as pest risks, pesticide residue, and hygiene control, as well as supply chain constraints related to cold-chain management, transportation, and freight costs. They emphasised that adherence to international standards is essential to access mainstream global markets and secure better returns for farmers, exporters, and other value-chain actors. The discussion also reinforced the need for stronger coordination among government agencies, private exporters, and service providers to unlock Bangladesh’s full agri-export potential. Panelist Yeasmin Akther – Business Manager, Knowledge and Health & Nutrition, SGS, noted, “Strengthening SPS systems is not just a technical matter—it’s an economic imperative. We must invest in both institutional reforms and business-level adoption of standards if we are to compete globally.”
The event also featured insights from global partners. Joining online, Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, International Plant Protection Expert and Executive Director, APAARI, commended Bangladesh’s progress while calling for accelerated efforts in SPS regulation.
Aichetou Ba, Economic Affairs Officer - Agriculture and Commodities Division, STDF shared STDF’s global mission and its expectations for Bangladesh and SAFE BD project. She shared STDF’s global mission and its expectations for Bangladesh’s export sector.
In his executive brief, the SAFE BD Team Leader, Mr. Abdul Awal, reflected on Swisscontact’s long-standing journey in advancing agricultural transformation in Bangladesh—from improving local production systems under projects such as Katalyst, M4C, PRABRIDDHI, and BYETS, to now promoting export-oriented, safe agriculture through SAFE BD.
Throughout the event, participants highlighted the importance of closer collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce, Department of Agricultural Extension, and Export Promotion Bureau to strengthen export certification and monitoring systems. They also emphasised the need for exporters to adopt advanced traceability tools, improve logistics, and invest in quality assurance to meet international market requirements. The event concluded with a joint understanding among participants to strengthen partnerships and collaboration in pursuit of safer, more competitive, and export-ready agricultural systems. Stakeholders recognised SAFE BD as a key steppingstone toward achieving that vision—a platform fostering dialogue, technical capacity, and systemic improvement in Bangladesh’s agro-export ecosystem.
SAFE BD is funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by Swisscontact in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce, Department of Agricultural Extension, SGS Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters’ Association (BFVAPEA). The project aims to strengthen SPS compliance and institutional capacity to enhance Bangladesh’s export readiness in the vegetable sector, particularly for gourd varieties.