Overview
The ceramic industry started its journey in 1958 and currently consists of
around 65 producers
of traditional ceramics such as tableware, tiles, sanitaryware, insulator,
heavy clay etc. The
total domestic market consumption for ceramic products amounted to USD 660
million in FY2017-18
and local production meets the demand of 96% of tableware, 77% of tiles and
89% of sanitary
ware. Over the last decade, the Bangladeshi ceramic industry has witnessed a
multi-dimensional
growth in both domestic (20% average annual growth) and export markets (26%
during the last
three years), and approximately 200% growth in production capacity in the
last 5 years. The
sector directly employs around 48,000 people and is estimated to indirectly
employ over 500,000
people.
Bangladeshi ceramics products are exported to more than 50 countries
including the UK, the USA,
Italy, Spain, Norway, France, Netherlands, Australia and more. According to
Export Promotion
Bureau (EPB), ceramics export earnings amounted to nearly USD 70 million in
FY2018-19, an
increase from USD 52 million in FY2017-18, becoming the seventh largest
export item from
Bangladesh and is forecasted to become the third largest in the next five
years. US-China trade
tension and rising European demand have been the major catalyst for export
growth. Global market
for ceramic products is expected to be worth USD 408 billion by 2025 and the
country’s ceramic
manufacturers are positioned to capture a slice of this expanding world
market.
