Dhaka, Bangladesh – On Monday, 11 August 2025, the Ministry of Commerce for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh hosted a daylong seminar titled “Forum for EU Trade: Spotlight on Digital Product Passport” at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka. The event, supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aimed to explore the implications of the European Union’s new sustainability regulations, specifically the Digital Product Passport (DPP), on Bangladesh’s export-oriented industries.
The forum brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology innovators, and sustainability experts to discuss the structure and technical foundations of the DPP and share insights on how Bangladesh can align its trade practices with the upcoming EU requirements for traceability and circularity.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) (Regulation EU 2024/1781), effective 18 July 2024, formally introduces DPPs as digital “identity cards” for products sold in the EU. These passports store data on model, batch, materials, repairs, environmental performance, and recycling information, accessible via QR code, NFC, or RFID, to support sustainability, transparency, and enforcement.
The event featured keynote presentations, expert-led sessions, and two panel discussions. The first panel, “From Regulation to Readiness: Is Bangladesh Prepared?”, explored Bangladesh’s preparedness for the upcoming EU traceability requirements, with participation from representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, BIDA, BGMEA, BKMEA, and the Export Promotion Bureau.
During the panel discussion, Vidiya Amrit Khan, Vice President of BGMEA, highlighted the need for the government, the European Union, and big brands to come forward and support small and medium-sized producers who may struggle with the costs of implementing the DPP.
The second panel, “Implementation Insights and Challenges: Experience Sharing From the Field”, focused on field-level experiences with contributions from organizations such as Reverse Resources, Urmi Group, DataDevelop Consulting, DigiProd Pass, and SERA Bangladesh. Mr. Md. Alamgir Kabir, Deputy Secretary, Planning Wing, Ministry of Commerce, shared his valuable insights during this panel discussion.
The day also included a technical session providing an in-depth look at the structure and relevance of the DPP under the ESPR, including international perspectives and implementation examples such as the Digital Battery Passport. The sessions concluded with a technology showcase, featuring digital traceability solutions from DigiProd Pass, Garmenttech, Reverse Resources, ProKnoWara, and Leathertrace.
The forum’s chief guest, Mr. Mahbubur Rahman, Honourable Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, delivered a speech emphasizing the need for Bangladesh to prepare for the full implementation of the Digital Product Passport policy by 2030. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that implementing provisions like the DPP do not significantly raise costs.
In his speech, H.E. Dr. Rüdiger Lotz, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, commented, “The DPP is an important tool that will help ensure traceability and transparency of products.”
The event concluded with a talk between the representatives of the host organizations, Dr. Michael Klode (GIZ Bangladesh) and Sohag Salauddin (DigiProd Pass Ltd.), reflecting on the day and key takeaways from the event. They agreed that this was more than an awareness seminar and marked the beginning of a coordinated movement to adopt Digital Product Passport technology, strengthen brand trust, and create new opportunities for sustainable, transparent, and circular supply chains.
This event served as a vital platform for aligning Bangladesh’s export industries with evolving EU sustainability standards, helping to ensure long-term competitiveness and regulatory compliance in international markets.
For further queries about the event, please contact Sohag Salauddin at sohag@digiprodpass.com.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/