BSTI halal certification marred by allegations of bribery

Business leaders on Saturday alleged that officials demand cars, cash and export-linked payments in exchange for issuing halal certificates for products through the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), urging the government to make the certification process free and more transparent.

The allegations were raised at a workshop titled "Halal for Export Diversification", organised by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) in Dhaka's Tejgaon.


The event was chaired by BCI President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury, while Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif attended as the chief guest.

Speaking at the workshop, BCI Director and Easy Food Chairman Zia Haider alleged that businesses applying for halal certificates from BSTI are asked to provide a car, cash and additional payments linked to the volume of their exports.

"Applicants seeking halal certificates from BSTI are asked to provide a car, money and payments based on the volume of exports," he claimed.

According to Haider, such demands discourage foreign buyers, many of whom simply ask exporters to print the word "halal" on product packaging instead of obtaining official certification. He argued that halal certificates should be issued free of charge.

Echoing the concerns, Bombay Sweets Ltd General Manager Khurshid Ahmad Farhad said obtaining a halal certificate previously cost between Tk 16 lakh and Tk 18 lakh, although the fees have since been reduced.

He also said Bangladesh's halal certificates are not recognised in Saudi Arabia because the two countries lack a mutual recognition agreement, forcing exporters to obtain certification from India, Thailand or Singapore to access the Saudi market.

In his opening remarks, BCI President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury said Bangladesh's halal product exports currently amount to only US$85 crore, while the global halal market was valued at US$3.3 trillion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$9.45 trillion by 2034, growing at an average annual rate of more than 12 per cent.