Ecosystem development to bring immense opportunity for Halal Food export: FBCCI

 
The businesses and entrepreneurs said that they are optimistic about the immense potential of Bangladeshi food in the global Halal food market.
However, they emphasised the crucial need to establish a comprehensive compliance ecosystem encompassing every stage from food production to processing, storage, and marketing to effectively capture the global market.

They said this at meeting of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Standing Committee on Halal Food, held at the FBCCI Motijheel office on Sunday, UNB reports.

The businesses called for the development of a robust ecosystem to strengthen Bangladesh's position in the global Halal food market.
FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam highlighted the significance of Halal food for human health, stating that both Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide are increasingly embracing Halal food options. He acknowledged that several countries have already established themselves as strong contenders in the global Halal food market and emphasized the immense opportunities for Bangladesh in this sector.

The FBCCI President stressed the urgency of formulating specific policies to support the development of the food and Halal industries in Bangladesh. Currently, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and the Islamic Foundation are the two entities responsible for issuing Halal certificates in the country.

FBCCI Senior Vice President Md. Amin Helaly encouraged for establishing a dedicated authority to streamline the certification process, ensure international acceptability, and enhance the capacity for issuing Halal certificates. He also urged committee members to submit specific recommendations in writing for the development of the Halal industry.

Business leaders present at the meeting emphasized the need to prioritize internal efforts to ensure safe and quality food before expanding into the global market.

They called for coordinated action from producers, marketing companies, and the government to achieve this goal.
Committee members requested the formulation and implementation of specific policies, including simplifying the process for obtaining Halal certificates from BSTI and the Islamic Foundation, providing policy benefits for the Halal industry, developing skilled human resources, facilitating financing, promoting research and innovation, and leveraging government diplomacy.

The meeting was attended by FBCCI Directors Hafiz Haji Harun-or-Rashid, Md. Niaz Ali Chishty, Syed Md. Bakhtiar, FBCCI Secretary General Md. Alamgir, Standing Committee Co-Chairman and members, and others.