The Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA) has sought stakeholders’ views on proposed rules to give locally produced goods preference in government purchases, with participants calling for clear eligibility criteria to prevent misuse.
A consultation was held at the BPPA in Dhaka yesterday to gather views on implementing Section 25(ka) of the Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.
The provision aims to give preference to locally produced goods in public procurement in line with the government’s “Bangladesh First” principle, according to a press release.
Around 20 representatives from Invest Bangladesh, the ministries of industries, commerce and science and technology, the Science and Technology Division, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) and the Department of Information and Communication Technology attended the consultation.
Participants welcomed the move to favour local goods but stressed the need for a list of eligible products and a clear definition of what qualifies as locally produced.
They also called for criteria specifying the minimum share of local content a product must contain to qualify for preferential treatment. If the preference is made mandatory, its potential impact should be assessed carefully to prevent misuse, they said.
Coordination among the relevant ministries and agencies will also be essential to implement the provision, participants observed.
The meeting, chaired by BPPA Chief Executive Officer Sayed Md Kamruzzaman, also discussed setting thresholds to encourage start-ups and innovative ventures, as well as introducing a limited tendering and enlistment system for industrial units registered with BSCIC.