Bangladesh’s penetration in the global footwear market is very meager. But the country has the potential to earn huge foreign exchange from exports of footwear and leather products globally and contribute largely to job creation and thus boost the economy.

In this sector, the country can add 80 to 85 per cent value to products because it has affordable but good quality leather.

Almost 66 per cent of the footwear business in Bangladesh comes from the unorganised sector. Bata is the market leader in the organized sector and has a 20 per cent share. Another brand Apex has a 10 per cent share and the others occupy the remaining 34 per cent of the overall local footwear market.

Sandals and slippers dominate the footwear sold. Most users of these kinds of footwear are basically in rural areas.

Footwear is also imported from China, India, Burma and Thailand.

About 40 per cent of the global footwear demand is met by China and 12 per cent by Vietnam.

World footwear manufacturing is notorious for its pursuit of so called cheap labor. In the 1960s Japan was the main source of supply of low cost footwear. The industry then moved to Taiwan as labor costs in Japan grew. It in turn moved to China, then to Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Low labor costs, supplies of good quality leather and a long tradition of shoemaking can make Bangladesh a global destiny for sourcing of shoes.