The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), in collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the SME Foundation, today, 25th January 2026, hosted a high-level seminar titled “Global Halal Gateway: Strategies for SMEs to Access Export Markets through International Standards” at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center. The event brought together global experts and national policymakers to equip small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with the technical tools needed to penetrate the projected USD 3 trillion global halal market.
The seminar served as a strategic platform to address the “Global Gateway” of halal certification, which is increasingly recognized as a benchmark for quality and safety beyond religious compliance. With Bangladesh approaching its graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in November 2026, the government highlighted halal certification as a critical driver for export diversification.
The Vice Chairman & Chief Executive of EPB, Mr. Mohammed Hasan Arif, attended the event as the Chief Guest, while Ms. Baby Rani Karmakar, Director General of EPB, chaired the session. In his remarks, Mr. Arif emphasized the importance of establishing a unified global platform for halal certification and suggested that BSTI introduce its services through a digital platform. He also underscored the need to dedicate services specifically for SMEs to ensure they can access required services without difficulty. Ms. Farzana Khan, Deputy Managing Director of the SME Foundation, was present as a Special Guest.
Distinguished experts Mr. Yasin Zülfikaroğlu, Specialist at the SMIIC General Secretariat and Secretary of the SMIIC Standardization Management, and Dr. Mete Çevik, Head of the International Relations Department of the Halal Accreditation Agency of Türkiye (HAK) and Convener of Working Group 1 of the SMIIC Committee on Conformity Assessment (SMIIC/CCA/WG1), presented the keynote papers. Mr. Abu Mukhles Alamgir Hossain, Director (Policy), served as the Master of Ceremony, while Mr. Syed Anwar Hossain, Project Manager, Standards Partnership Initiative, British Standards Institution (BSI), conducted the Q&A session.
Date: 25th January 2026
Venue: Bangladesh–China Friendship Exhibition Centre (Big wave), Purbachal, Narayanganj, Dhaka
