Despite its impressive growth in recent years, Bangladesh’s ceramic sector faced a setback in the fiscal year 2023-24, with exports and direct employment declining compared to the previous year.

According to the Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BCMEA), the export volume of ceramic products dropped by nearly 2% to Tk 5.92 billion in FY24 from Tk 6.03 billion in FY23. Direct employment fell 7.09% to 52,490 in FY24 from 56,502 in FY23.

Despite these challenges, the sector remains competitive due to duty-free access to several developed markets under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). In contrast, Chinese ceramics face additional duties in the EU market. The country’s ceramic industry expanded significantly between 2008 and 2018 due to increased capital investment.

Imports of ceramic products, however, rose by 50.24% to over Tk 18.57 billion in FY24 from Tk 12.36 billion in the previous fiscal year. Industry stakeholders remain optimistic about further expansions in production capacity and export destinations.