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12:00 AM, January 13, 2014 / LAST MODIFIED: 01:53 AM, March 08, 2015

AN OVERVIEW OF BANGLADESH FURNITURE INDUSTRY

An overview of Bangladesh
furniture industry
Md. Quamruzzaman

Traditionally furniturein Bangladesh developed as cottage based industry. It is in early 90's when the furniture
industry in Bangladesh transformed from cottage based industry to mechanized mass production oriented
industries. Since then furniture businesses began to grow with modern machinery, innovative designs and use
of diverse materials.The main varieties of furniture are produced from wood, processed wood, melamine
board, Medium Density Fibre Board (MDF), particleboard, steeletc. At present Bangladesh is producing wide
variety of international standard and quality furniture. People in Bangladesh are now going to choose local
furniture instead of foreign furniture. The export of furniture and allied products from Bangladesh has started
from 1995. Furniture is a labor intensive sector and Bangladesh hasa large low cost manpower which is a vital
factor in becoming competitive in the world market. So, there is good potential for export of furniture and

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Bangladesh's furniture industries are ready for that. It is estimated that, by 2015 Bangladesh will earn export
potential of crafts furniture accessories worth of USD 10 million along with furniture worth USD 40 million.
At present two relevant associations i.e., Bangladesh Furniture Export Association and Bangladesh Furniture
Industries Owners Association (BFIOA) are actively working on materializing the potential of this sector.
Bangladesh Furniture Export Association (BFEA) has 12 members. Partex Furniture Industries Ltd. is a valued
member of BFEA. The government of Bangladesh has declared the furniture industry as a 'Thrust Sector'.
At present about 41,560 enterprises and nearly two lakh skilled and semi-skilled peopleare engaged in this
sector. On average 60% of raw materials of furniture sector are imported from different countries. Of those,
timber, wood coating materials, hardware & accessories, world class fabrics etc., are majorimportable items.
This sector has some mentionable problems such ashigh import duties of some raw materials like good fabrics,
finishing/coating materials, hardware & accessories, shortage of electricity/gas etc.
Scarcity of skilled manpower in handling modern equipmentand machinery is limiting the prospect of growth
of this Industry, which can be addressed through setting up more Technical Schools with a curriculum of shortterm trade courses, where along with government initiatives private sectors should also come forward.
PARTEX Furniture Industries Ltd (PFIL) is a concern of Partex Star Group in Bangladesh which started
business in 1964 by manufacturing and marketing of Particle Boards. Furniture manufacturing unit (PFIL) was
established in 1999. It is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified organization. PFIL manufactures a diversity of solid
timber as well as timber-substitutes of all types of office and home furniture.Partex Star Group gets
hugeCompetitive Advantages for having the strong backward integration i.e. its sister concerns which produce
Particle Board, Furnitex Board, Melamine Board, Plywood, Veneered Board, PVC Board, Adhesives etc. At
present about 1500 employees are directly employed with PFIL of Partex Star Group.Finally we can say
furniture industry is one of the promising one and every stakeholder should play their part accordingly for the
bettermentof the sector.