B Mirror Report: The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has called for the development of a skilled and integrated logistics ecosystem to strengthen Bangladesh’s export competitiveness and trade efficiency.

The call came during a roundtable discussion titled “Integrated Development of Ports and Logistics Sector for a Trade-Driven Bangladesh” held at the DCCI auditorium on May 9, according to a press release issued on Sunday.

In his welcome address, DCCI Senior Vice-President Rajib H. Chowdhury said infrastructural limitations and lack of institutional coordination in the logistics sector are seriously affecting the country’s export potential, causing Bangladesh to fall behind competing nations.

He said delays in cargo clearance at ports, slow transportation through road and rail networks, and inadequate cold-chain logistics are making the overall supply chain costly and inefficient. To overcome these challenges, he stressed the need for paperless automated systems at ports, infrastructure development through public-private partnerships (PPP), and increased investment in cold-chain logistics.

Speaking as a special guest, Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) Director General Md. Salim Ullah said Bangladesh still lags behind in integrated port and logistics management, which continues to increase the cost of doing business. He urged all stakeholders to work together to improve the sector.

Presenting the keynote paper, Policy Exchange Bangladesh Chairman and CEO Dr. M. Masrur Riaz said that although manufacturing contributes around 25 percent to the country’s GDP, exports remain concentrated in a limited number of products and markets. He emphasized the need for economic diversification, enhanced trade capacity, and policy reforms.

Dr. Riaz said reducing logistics costs by 25 percent could increase exports by up to 20 percent, while a 1 percent reduction in transportation costs could lead to 7.4 percent export growth.

Other speakers highlighted several key challenges facing the sector. Former Chattogram Port Authority member Md. Habibur Rahman said expanding the Dhaka-Chattogram highway has limited scope, making railways the most effective alternative for cargo transportation.

BUET Professor Dr. Shamsul Haque pointed to a lack of realism in development planning and poor coordination in transport infrastructure as major barriers to achieving expected outcomes.

Shahriar Steel Mills Managing Director S.K. Masadul Alam Masud said the absence of scanner machines at Pangaon Port and limitations in inland waterways are increasing transportation costs for industries.

World Bank Senior Transport Specialist Nusrat Nahid Babi said customs clearance processes are still not fully modernized, while the lack of digital operations at land ports is causing delays in cargo handling.

ADB Senior Project Officer Humayun Kabir said the Asian Development Bank is actively working on implementing the Dhirashram ICD container depot and a multimodal logistics hub.

DCCI Vice-President Md. Salim Solaiman, board members, and representatives from government and private sectors also attended the event.