Fazley Rabbi"Can we export this?"
Handicrafts, processed food, jute goods, leather products, agro products, software services. Many small and medium businesses in Bangladesh make something a buyer abroad would want. Often it starts with a foreign enquiry on Facebook, or a relative living abroad saying "this would sell here". The temptation is to ship a first order and work out the rest later. Exporting rewards preparation: a failed first shipment can cost you money, the buyer and your reputation.
One note before the steps: I am not going to list export rules, licences or documents here. They depend on your product, the destination country and current regulations, and they change. Confirm them with the relevant government authority, your bank's trade services team, a licensed freight forwarder or customs agent, and an accountant.
Get ready before you look for buyers
Be honest about these before approaching anyone:
- Consistent quality at volume. Can you deliver the same quality on a large order as on a sample?
- Capacity and lead time. How much can you produce each month without hurting your local business?
- Packaging and labelling that survive long transport and suit foreign buyers.
- Full costing. Your complete cost per unit, including packaging, inland transport and documentation, so you can quote without losing money. An accountant can help you check it.
- One responsible person who replies to buyers in English, quickly and accurately.
Choose one market, not the world
Pick one country or one type of buyer, based on where you have a connection (a diaspora community, earlier enquiries, a trade contact), where similar products from Bangladesh already sell, and where you can realistically meet the requirements. Then research that market: who buys this product, at what quality level, through which channels (importers, wholesalers, retailers, online marketplaces), and which suppliers from other countries you will be competing against.
Questions to take to the right people
Instead of guessing, write your questions down and take them to the professionals named above:
- What registrations or licences do I need in Bangladesh to export this product?
- What does the destination country require: product standards, testing, certificates, labelling, restrictions on ingredients or materials?
- Which payment methods protect me as the seller, and what will my bank need from me?
- Which shipping and delivery terms should I quote, and who arranges insurance?
- Do any trade agreements or certificates of origin apply to my product?
Keep the answers in one document. You will reuse them for every buyer in that market.
Finding and qualifying buyers
Routes that suit first-time exporters include international trade fairs and buyer-seller meetings, trade associations and chambers of commerce, B2B marketplaces, and direct, personalised outreach to importers (finding and contacting export buyers has its own page). Qualify every buyer before you commit: check that the company is real, start with a small order, and never ship on trust alone when payment terms are unclear. Be cautious with buyers who push for unusual payment arrangements or try to rush you.
Much of the research and outreach you can do in-house. A business development adviser helps with market selection, positioning against foreign competitors, a professional export profile and a structured buyer search; that is part of my business development work. Legal, banking and customs questions belong with licensed professionals.
Your first step
Write a one-page export readiness note: your product, monthly capacity, full unit cost, who will handle buyers, and the list of questions above. Take it to your bank and a freight forwarder for answers. If you want help choosing the market and finding buyers, get in touch.