'Created in Bangladesh': New National Brand to Drive Creative Economy Growth

Bangladesh is poised to launch a transformative national brand, "Created in Bangladesh," as part of a comprehensive strategy to elevate the creative industry into a significant pillar for employment, entrepreneurship, economic growth, and national branding. 

This initiative, unveiled in the National Budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, underscores the government’s commitment to mainstreaming the creative economy as a strategic investment in human resource development and future national prosperity. 

The "Created in Bangladesh" brand is designed to showcase the nation’s creative potential at international festivals and global markets, while simultaneously creating new pathways for Bangladeshi creators and enterprises to secure a stronger footprint on the world stage.

During his budget presentation, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury emphasized the core objective of the branding, stating, "A national brand titled 'Created in Bangladesh' will be launched to showcase the country's creative potential in international festivals and markets.... For the development of the film industry and active participation in OTT platforms, internationally standardized, technologically advanced studios will be established." 

The government has established ambitious targets for the sector, aiming to increase the creative economy's contribution to 1.5 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while creating 500,000 new jobs. 

To facilitate this expansion, the budget proposes an initial allocation of BDT300 crore, supplemented by an additional BDT 500 crore mobilized from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of Bangladesh Bank.

The strategy adopts a holistic approach by integrating investment, infrastructure development, market access, and fiscal incentives to foster a supportive ecosystem for content creators, artisans, and enterprises. 

A central component of this infrastructure plan is the establishment of internationally standardized, technologically advanced film studios to bolster the local film industry and ensure competitive participation in OTT platforms. 

Furthermore, the government plans to develop a world-class Central Creative Hub on 160 acres in Purbachal through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, supported by regional creative hubs at the divisional, district, and upazila levels, as well as within the Bangladesh Shishu Academy and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the government is committed to facilitating global market access for Bangladeshi content creators. In rural areas, the "One-Village, One-Product" initiative will integrate traditional artisans—specializing in handloom, pottery, and shital pati—into the global value chain through design and quality enhancements. 

To stimulate creative entrepreneurship, the budget introduces significant fiscal incentives: income from content creation will be entirely tax-exempt, and services provided by content creators and freelancers will receive a full exemption from the 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT). 

Additionally, customs duties on high-tech cinematographic cameras and spare parts will be slashed from 15 percent to 5 percent, and regulatory duties on musical instruments will be fully withdrawn.

Reflecting on the rationale for these measures, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury stated, "The Government attaches special importance to the creative economy and seeks to develop it as an important source of employment, entrepreneurship, and economic growth." 

He added, "We believe that this promising sector can make a significant contribution as an investment in human resource development, national branding, and future welfare." 

Addressing the need to support the younger generation, he noted, "To harness the creativity and intellectual potential of our promising young generation and build a globally competitive 'Creative Economy,' I propose reducing duties on several items essential for high-quality content creation and filmmaking, ensuring that such tools remain within the reach of young creators." 

Through this combined investment in infrastructure, fiscal relief, and market development, Bangladesh aims to cultivate a globally competitive creative sector under the banner of "Created in Bangladesh."