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The import-dependent consumer goods market has seen major ups and downs in the past one to one and a half years. Smile Food Products of Chittagong has entered the top four for the first time. And Nabil Group of Rajshahi has maintained its position in the top five for two consecutive years.
However, three industrial groups have maintained their positions in the top three in consumer goods imports. Meghna Group of Industries or MGI is at the top of the list. TK Group is one step ahead in the list and is in second place. And City Group is one step down and is in third place.
This picture has been obtained from the calculation of consumer goods imports for 2025. Chickpeas, motor dal, lentils, sugar, wheat, soybean and palm oil, and soybean seeds, the raw material for making soybean oil, have been taken into account as import-dependent consumer goods. Important information has been taken from the statistics of the National Board of Revenue, or NBR.
According to the NBR, 14.1 million tons of consumer goods were imported in 2025. It cost about 7.05 billion US dollars. These products were imported by 418 companies. Of these, the top 10 groups imported products worth 5.38 billion dollars, which is 76 percent of the total imports. On the other hand, in the same period of 2024, 14.1 million tons of products were imported. It cost about 6.81 billion dollars. Products were imported by 440 companies. Accordingly, although the quantity of imports was the same, the import value increased slightly.
The government has also changed the picture of business
In August 2024, the interim government took office through a mass uprising. After that, many businessmen close to the Awami League went into hiding. Cases were filed against many importers of consumer goods on charges of loan default. As a result, many importers became inactive, while new and old importers also became active. Some of them are now at the top.
An analysis of NBR data shows that Akij Resources Group and Zahir Group have made it to the top 10 for the first time in consumer goods imports. On the other hand, S Alam Group and Bashundhara Group have been left out of this list. S Alam Group of Chittagong did not import any products last year. However, last year the group paid the customs duty on imported sugar for 2024. The group was in sixth position in consumer goods imports in 2024.
Smile Food Products of Chittagong has been active in consumer goods imports since 2024.
The rise of Smile and Nabil Group
Smile Food Products of Chittagong has been active in importing consumer goods since 2024. The company, owned by Abul Khair Group Chairman Abul Kashem, has increased its investment in this sector. The company has finalized the process of purchasing a sugar refinery and an oil factory.
Smile Food Products imported products worth $697.7 million last year. Their imports increased by 65 percent compared to the same period in 2024. This has put the group in fourth position in consumer goods imports for the first time. In 2024, the group was in fifth position in daily goods imports.
Rajshahi-based Nabil Group has also made it to the top five for two consecutive years. In terms of imports in 2025, the group is in fifth position. During this time, the group imported products worth $412.1 million. The group mainly imports chickpeas, lentils, motor dal, and wheat. In 2024, it was in fourth position. Despite falling behind by a step, the group is still at the top in wheat and motor dal imports.
When asked, Nabil Group Managing Director (MD) Aminul Islam told Prothom Alo, "We have continued to import continuously to ensure that there is no crisis in consumer goods in the country. Although imports slowed down somewhat due to the dollar crisis and the complexity of opening letters of credit, that problem has now largely been resolved. That is why we are importing more than demand. We hope that we will be able to create a better position in terms of consumer goods imports. In the meantime, we have increased the imports of some consumer goods significantly in view of Ramadan. We hope that we will soon be able to take a place in the top three. If there is no major crisis in the economy and market, we will continue this trend of our imports in the future. In the meantime, we have made major investments in consumer goods-based factories."
Old in the top three
MGI has been at the top of the list for a long time in consumer goods imports. In addition to direct imports, the group has also built basic factories. The group imports wheat, raw sugar, raw soybean, palm oil, and soybean seeds, the raw material for making soybeans. The group is at the top in sugar and soybean seed imports.
The group imported goods worth $1.47 billion in 2025. The amount of imported goods is 2.942 million tons. The group has a 21 percent share of the total consumer goods imports in the country. MGI imported goods worth $1.146 billion in the same period in 2024. Accordingly, the growth in the group's imports is about 29 percent.
When asked, MGI Chairman Mustafa Kamal told Prothom Alo that MGI's imports have increased as there is currently no dollar crisis in consumer goods imports. There was no shortage in product supply last year as imports were made according to demand.
TK Group is in second place in consumer goods imports. The group was in third place in 2024. In 2025, the group imported products worth $942.8 million. The group's imports grew by 25 percent. The group mainly imports crude soybeans and palm oil. TK Group is also the top importer of these two products. They are also importing wheat and pulse products.
When asked, TK Group Director Mohammad Mustafa Hayday told Prothom Alo that it was possible to import products as planned due to the stable dollar price. However, overall demand in the market did not increase.
City Group has slipped one step in the past year in consumer goods imports, falling to third place. In the past year, City Group imported products worth $899.8 million. In the same period of the previous year, it imported products worth $108 million. The group is in second place in sugar, soybean oil and soybean seeds. And it is in first place in chickpea imports.
Two new groups in the top 10
The other five groups in the top 10 in consumer goods imports are Bangladesh Edible Oil Limited, Mahbub Group, Akij Resources Group, SB Group, and Zahir Group. Among them, Akij Resources and Zahir Group have made it to the top 10 in consumer goods imports for the first time. The growth in the import of daily necessities of the two groups is also the highest.
Akij Resources Group, which made it to the top 10, imported consumer goods worth $184 million in 2025, which is 210 percent more than the same period of the previous year ($59.3 million). The group imports more wheat and pulses. Dhaka-based Zahir Group has increased its investment in consumer goods. In 2025, the group imported consumer goods worth $153.6 million. The group's imports grew by 624 percent compared to 2024. The group's imports include pulses and wheat.
The list of consumer goods imports is now dominated by large industrial groups. These institutions process imported consumer goods in factories and market them. For this, these institutions have built large factories.
Traders who market consumer goods say that ups and downs in the consumer goods market are a natural phenomenon. The shortage that was supposed to occur in the market did not happen because some industrial groups, including S Alam Group, did not import. This is because many institutions have taken this as an opportunity. Many have increased imports to capture this new market. The groups that have made it to the top ten for the first time are proof of this. Even though some groups dropped out due to the increase in imports of these institutions, there was no shortage of supply in the market.
Rajshahi-based Nabil Group has also made it to the top five for two consecutive years. In terms of imports in 2025, the group is in fifth position. During this time, the group imported products worth $412 million. The group mainly imports chickpeas, lentils, motor dal, and wheat. In 2024, it was in fourth position. Although it has fallen one step behind, the group is at the top in wheat and motor dal imports.
When asked, Nabil Group Managing Director (MD) Aminul Islam told Prothom Alo, "We have continued to import continuously to ensure that there is no crisis in consumer goods in the country. Although imports were somewhat slow due to the dollar crisis and the complexity of opening letters of credit, that problem has now largely been overcome. Therefore, we are importing adequately against demand. We hope that we will be able to create a better position in terms of consumer goods imports. Keeping Ramadan in mind, we have already increased the imports of some consumer goods significantly. We hope that we will soon be able to take a place in the top three. If there is no major crisis in the economy and market, we will continue this trend of our imports in the future as well." We have already made major investments in consumer goods factories.
Big investors survive
The list of consumer goods imports is now dominated by large industrial groups. These institutions process imported consumer goods in factories and market them. For this, these institutions have built large factories. Traders who market consumer goods say that ups and downs in the consumer goods market are a natural phenomenon. The shortage that was supposed to occur in the market did not happen because some industrial groups, including S Alam Group, did not import. This is because many institutions took this as an opportunity. Many have increased imports to capture this new market. The groups that made it to the top ten for the first time are proof of that. Even after some groups dropped out due to the increase in imports of these institutions, there was no shortage of supply in the market.
Source: Online/GFMM
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