Bangladesh Export Consulting Services

 

Md. Joynal Abdin
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Trade & Investment Bangladesh (T&IB)
Executive Director, Online Training Academy (OTA)
Secretary General, Brazil Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BBCCI)

 

 

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most dynamic exporting economies, with merchandise export earnings reaching US$48.28 billion in FY 2024–25 (EPB data). At the same time, the export basket remains highly concentrated industry data shows RMG contributes roughly four-fifths of total export earnings, which makes market diversification, compliance readiness, and buyer development more important than ever for both local exporters and foreign companies sourcing from Bangladesh. Against this backdrop, export consulting services have become a practical “growth infrastructure”: they help firms reduce costly mistakes in documentation and compliance, select profitable markets, build buyer pipelines, and meet increasingly strict product, ESG, and traceability requirements in the EU, UK, North America, and beyond.

 

What is export consulting?

Export consulting is a professional service that helps a company plan, start, improve, or scale cross-border sales of goods or services. A good export consultant does more than advise; they translate strategy into execution aligning product-market fit, regulatory compliance, pricing, logistics, contracts, and payment risk management so shipments move smoothly and profits remain predictable. For foreign exporters or international buyers, export consulting in Bangladesh often includes supplier due diligence, quality/compliance verification, factory capability assessment, and support in building reliable sourcing channels.

 

What are export consulting services?

In Bangladesh, export consulting typically spans the full export lifecycle from readiness assessment to repeat orders. It often starts with evaluating whether a product is exportable (standards, certifications, capacity, costing), then moves into market selection and route-to-market strategy (direct buyers, agents, distributors, marketplaces, or brand-led exports). Consultants commonly support HS code and tariff mapping, trade documentation and licensing guidance, export pricing and Incoterms selection, and packaging/labeling compliance. Many also provide buyer identification and outreach, trade fair preparation, pitch decks and company profiles, sample strategy, negotiation support, and shipment coordination with logistics partners. Increasingly, consulting also includes ESG and social compliance readiness, chemical management or testing coordination, traceability documentation, and audit preparation because global buyers want proof, not promises.

Top export consulting service providers in Bangladesh

Below is a practical list of well-known organizations that are frequently engaged by exporters for export strategy, trade compliance, market access, assurance/testing, or end-to-end export support.

1) KPMG Bangladesh https://kpmg.com/bd/en/home.html

KPMG Bangladesh supports exporters through advisory and trade-related risk and compliance work, helping companies strengthen controls, documentation discipline, and governance areas that become critical when scaling to regulated markets and large buyers. Their wider global capabilities also matter for exporters expanding into complex tariff and customs environments, where structured trade processes can reduce delays and penalties.

 

2) PwC Bangladesh https://www.pwc.com/bd/en.html

PwC Bangladesh provides professional advisory and tax/consulting services that exporters often need when they grow beyond “shipment-by-shipment” operations into structured international business—covering compliance, risk, financial controls, and cross-border operational planning. For foreign exporters and buyers, firms like PwC can be valuable when Bangladesh operations require stronger governance, documentation, and contract/payment risk frameworks.

 

3) Trade & Investment Bangladesh (T&IB) https://tradeandinvestmentbangladesh.com/

Trade & Investment Bangladesh (T&IB) positions itself as a Bangladesh-based consultancy supporting trade growth through integrated services that combine export facilitation with business support and market-oriented execution. For many SME and growth-stage exporters, that combination can be useful because export success often requires parallel work on branding, digital presence, buyer communication materials, and pipeline building not only paperwork. They are offering exportability assessment, buyer seller matchmaking, and dealers or distributor recruitment etc. export support services.

 

4) Deloitte Bangladesh https://www.deloitte.com/bd/en.html

Deloitte Bangladesh delivers consulting and advisory services that can help exporters professionalize operations especially around risk management, process discipline, and compliance expectations from global counterparties. For companies supplying regulated buyers or operating under strict contractual controls, big consulting networks are often engaged to strengthen governance, internal controls, and readiness for audits and international expansion.

 

5) EY (Ernst & Young) Bangladesh https://www.ey.com/en_bd

EY’s Bangladesh presence provides advisory capability that exporters commonly seek when they need to structure international growth, improve compliance and reporting, or prepare for buyer-driven governance requirements. In many export industries, especially where buyers demand robust policies and traceability, advisory support can help firms move from informal systems to repeatable, auditable processes.

 

6) Bangladesh Trade Center (BTC) https://bangladeshtradecenter.com/

Bangladesh Trade Center (BTC) highlights export support services such as export market selection, exportability assessment, product positioning, and buyer–seller matchmaking services that directly address the “finding buyers and converting leads” gap many exporters face. BTC also frames itself as a growth partner working across business support and trade facilitation, which can be especially relevant for new exporters who need guided execution rather than isolated advice.

 

7) Intertek Bangladesh https://www.intertek.com/bangladesh/

Intertek Bangladesh supports export readiness through testing, inspection, and certification infrastructure that helps exporters prove compliance with destination-market requirements and buyer specifications. For exporters of garments, footwear, homeware, toys, and other consumer products, credible third-party assurance reduces rejection risk, speeds buyer approvals, and strengthens trust during onboarding and audits.

 

8) SGS Bangladesh https://www.sgs.com/en-bd

SGS operates in Bangladesh with wide testing, inspection, certification, and consulting capabilities that exporters use to demonstrate product conformity and operational compliance for international trade. This is particularly valuable when markets require formal certificates or when buyers demand independent verification across quality, safety, and process controls before confirming orders or allowing shipments.

 

9) Bureau Veritas Bangladesh https://www.bureauveritas.com.bd/

Bureau Veritas is widely used across export supply chains for testing, inspection, audits, and certification helping Bangladeshi exporters align with buyer codes of conduct, product standards, and compliance documentation. For exporters, these services reduce the “compliance uncertainty” that often blocks entry into premium buyers and regulated channels.

 

10) LightCastle Partners https://lightcastlepartners.com/

LightCastle Partners is known for data-driven consulting work in Bangladesh, including export competitiveness, sector strategy, and market linkage initiatives. For exporters and industry stakeholders, such capability is helpful when the goal is not just one market, but a long-term diversification roadmap identifying priority markets, building sector narratives, and improving competitiveness through strategy, capability building, and ecosystem-level linkages.

Other important segments for exporters

Export consulting is most effective when it is treated as a system, not a one-time fix. A smart approach is to build a repeatable “export engine” that includes a clear product positioning (what problem you solve, for which buyer segment), a compliance and documentation checklist aligned to target markets, a pricing model that survives real logistics and payment terms, and a buyer pipeline process that is measurable. Many exporters fail not because their product is bad, but because their export operations are inconsistent late sample follow-ups, unclear specifications, weak documentation discipline, or a mismatch between promised capacity and actual delivery.

For foreign exporters and buyers working with Bangladesh, the most valuable consulting outcomes are usually supplier reliability and risk reduction: verified compliance, stable production planning, reduced shipment disputes, and clearer contractual alignment. In practical terms, that means setting quality expectations early, documenting specifications and tolerances, confirming labeling/packaging rules, and aligning Incoterms and payment terms to minimize surprises.

 

How to choose the right export consultant

A credible export consultant should be able to show relevant experience in your product category and target markets, demonstrate a structured process (not vague promises), and clearly separate what they control versus what depends on third parties (testing labs, forwarders, banks, government processing timelines). The best consultants will insist on data costing sheets, capacity reality checks, compliance evidence because export success is built on proof. Also, be cautious with anyone who guarantees buyers or “instant orders”; in legitimate trade development, buyers respond to credibility, compliance, and consistent execution.

 

Closing remarks

Bangladesh’s export opportunity remains significant, but global trade is becoming more compliance-driven, more traceable, and more competitive. With export earnings at US$48.28 billion in FY 2024–25 and a continued need for diversification beyond traditional strengths, export consulting services play a practical role in helping firms enter new markets, meet buyer requirements, and scale sustainably. For local exporters, the right consulting partner can shorten the learning curve and reduce costly errors; for foreign exporters and buyers, the right partner in Bangladesh can improve supplier confidence and execution reliability turning trade ambition into repeat shipments.