Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute

What Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute does

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) is a not-for-profit research and training institution founded in 2003 and headquartered at TCB Bhaban, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. It was established under a public-private partnership model between the Government of Bangladesh (Ministry of Commerce) and the private sector, with governance through a Board of Directors chaired by the Honorable Minister of Commerce and including Vice-Chairmen from the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICCB) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). The institute operates as the official focal point for the Ministry of Commerce on trade policy development and the coordination of WTO, bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreement work.

BFTI's core offerings fall into four lines: research and consulting studies; professional training courses on trade-related topics (Rules and Procedures for Import and Export, Tax/VAT/Customs Duty for Trade, Supply Chain Management at BNQF Level-4, etc.); academic programs (Post Graduate Diploma in International Trade and Business, and a Master's in International Trade); and policy advocacy activities including participation in the National Trade Facilitation Committee. It also houses a WTO Reference Centre providing public access to trade-related laws and regulations for Bangladesh and its major trading partners, and maintains a publications program (Trade Outlook, newsletters, annual reports, brochures).

The business model combines government operating support and donor-funded project work with modest tuition and training fee revenue. Programs are delivered directly at the BFTI Academic Block in Dhaka, with no disclosed commercial product or software platform. Customers are segmented across (i) government agencies requiring trade policy support, (ii) private sector trade practitioners, chambers, and trade associations requiring capacity building and policy advocacy, and (iii) trade professionals and students seeking recognized credentials. Strategic institutional partnerships span national bodies (BTTC, SMEF, FBCCI, DCCI, BCI, academic partners), international organizations (WTO, WTI Bern, IIFT, ARTNeT, COMCEC/OIC, Malaysian Export Academy), and donor-funded research programs (Australian DFAT via Tetra Tech). Operating headcount is reported in the 11-50 employee band.

Name

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute

Legal name

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute

Website

https://bfti.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) is a Dhaka-based, not-for-profit public-private partnership research and training institution, established in 2003 under the Ministry of Commerce, providing trade policy research, professional training, and academic programs (Diploma and Master's in International Trade) for government, trade associations, and private sector exporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Policy Research and Training

NAICS

International Affairs (928120), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Facilitation & Customs Modernization (BPADAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trade, Export Controls & Customs Compliance (BPAHAFAN), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Trade Compliance, Standards & Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT/SPS) (BPADAMAK)

Keywords

• Trade policy research
• Trade capacity building
• International trade training
• WTO compliance advisory
• Trade negotiation support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Academic Programs: BFTI offers academic programs including Master's in International Trade and Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in International Trade and Business (ITB) which generate revenue through tuition and program fees.
2. Training Programs: The institute conducts various training programs on trade-related topics including Rules and Procedures for Import and Export, Understanding Tax VAT & Customs Duty for Trade, Supply Chain Management, and others. Revenue is generated through training fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) is a not-for-profit research and training institution that delivers trade policy research, professional training programs, academic degrees, and policy advisory services focused on international trade. It conducts applied research on WTO agreements, bilateral and regional trade negotiations, and trade facilitation; runs capacity-building training courses on trade procedures, customs, supply chain management, and export competitiveness; and offers academic credentials including a Master's in International Trade and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Trade and Business.

Product overview

Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) is a not-for-profit research and training institution established in 2003 under a public-private partnership model. The organization does not offer a commercial product or software platform; rather, it provides trade-related services including research studies, training programs, policy advocacy, and academic education on international trade. Its core offerings consist of research and consulting services, professional training courses, academic programs (Diploma and Master's in International Trade), and policy advocacy activities. The institute also maintains a WTO Reference Centre and has established partnerships with international organizations including WTO, World Trade Institute, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, and various national trade bodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master's in International Trade

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving both public and private sectors engaged in international trade
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major, international, core and regional.

• SMEFminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025MoU signing ceremony between BFTI and SMEF (Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation) for cooperation on SME-related trade initiatives.
• Tetra Tech International Development Pty Ltd.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 December 2023Joint research partnership conducting 'Bangladesh Trade and Investment Study: Market Opportunities and Trade Barriers' funded by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australian Government. Also involves Institute of International Trade (IIT), University of Adelaide, Australia.
• COMCEC, OICinternationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2023Implemented project on 'Developing Export Competitiveness of Potential Halal Products of Bangladesh' funded by Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
• WTO Wing, Ministry of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2023Performance agreement signed for 'Branding, Web Development & other activities for Readymade Garment Industries in Bangladesh' under Export Diversification and Competitiveness Development (TIER II) Project with EIF support.
• WTO Reference CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBFTI houses a WTO Reference Centre providing public access information for the laws and regulations governing trade in Bangladesh and its major trading partners.
• World Trade Institute (WTI), University of Bern, SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for trade policy research and knowledge exchange in collaboration with World Trade Institute.
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), IndiaregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership with Indian Institute of Foreign Trade for trade policy research and professional exchange.
• Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), BangkokregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional research partnership through Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade for joint trade research activities.
• Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandmark MoU signed on 26/06/2025 between BFTI and BTTC for strengthening trade ties and collaboration on trade remedies and tariff matters.
• Ministry of Commerce, BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner for trade policy research and implementation. BFTI conducts assignments under WTO Wing projects including Export Diversification and Competitiveness Development (TIER II) Project with support from Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) of WTO.
• Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey private sector partnership with FBCCI for consultation between policymakers and business leaders on trade matters.
• Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional chamber partnership for trade facilitation and private sector engagement in trade policy advocacy.
• Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustrial chamber partnership for industry-specific trade policy research and advocacy.
• Malaysian Export AcademyinternationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Malaysian Export Academy for training and capacity building in export competitiveness.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC): Statutory body promoting trade and investment with extensive research, training, and export-promotion functions for Hong Kong-based firms. Comparable to BFTI in policy-research-meets-export-promotion remit, but at far greater scale.
• International Trade Centre (ITC): Joint WTO-UN agency supporting SMEs in developing countries with trade intelligence, training, and capacity building. Comparable in mandate (trade capacity building for developing countries) to BFTI's work with SME Foundation and private sector trade practitioners.
• Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE): Malaysia's national trade promotion agency delivering export training, market research, and capacity building. Functionally parallel to BFTI's training and export-competitiveness programs; BFTI also partners with the Malaysian Export Academy.

Regional players

• Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS): South Asian autonomous think tank producing research on trade, economic policy, and development. Comparable as a regional public-policy research institute addressing WTO and South Asian trade issues, similar to BFTI's research agenda.
• Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) — Trade Promotion & Training arm: Vietnam's national chamber running export training, market research, and policy advocacy for trade practitioners. Comparable role to BFTI's partnership with FBCCI/DCCI/BCI and its private-sector capacity-building function.
• Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE): Pakistan's public-sector research and training institution covering trade, economics, and policy. Comparable to BFTI in the region and PPP-style mandate between government and research community.

Others

• ARTNeT — Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade: ESCAP/UNCTAD-affiliated network for trade policy researchers across Asia-Pacific. BFTI is an active partner in this network; comparable as a regional trade-research collaboration platform where BFTI contributes and consumes research outputs.

Direct peers

• World Trade Institute (WTI), University of Bern: Academic center-of-excellence offering Master's and executive programs in international trade and economic law. BFTI has a strategic international partnership with WTI; both operate at the intersection of trade policy research and graduate-level trade education.
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT): India's autonomous institution under the Ministry of Commerce for trade policy research, training, and Master's-level academic programs. BFTI already partners with IIFT, making it the most comparable peer in mandate, structure, and PPP-style operation.

Emerging players

• Institute for International Trade (IIT), University of Adelaide: Australian university center specializing in trade policy research and capacity building in the Asia-Pacific. Listed as co-research partner with BFTI in the DFAT-funded Bangladesh Trade and Investment Study, directly comparable in trade-research focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bfti_bd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bangladeshforeigntradeins3930
• Facebookfacebook.com/bftibd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bfti

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute