64 initiatives honoured at Bangladesh Retail Awards 2026

SHWAPNO, the country’s leading retail chain brand, has awarded 64 organisations and initiatives modernising retail in the digital age at the 3rd edition of the Bangladesh Retail Awards 2026.

Held today at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka, the programme was jointly initiated by the Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF) and Bangladesh Retail Forum, powered by Singer and Bata, in association with Konka and Gree (Electro Mart Limited), according to a press release.

The awards were given across 26 categories. Of the 64, 40 initiatives secured the “Winner” accolade, while a further 24 received “Honourable Mention” awards.

A total of 347 nominations from 53 organisations were submitted for the awards. The winners were selected through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process.

This process involved 16 experts and leaders from various sectors, who selected the best initiatives in a transparent and impartial manner. The evaluation process was completed in 5 separate jury sessions.

The programme honours retailers who have best responded to changing consumer habits by tailoring experiences, producing standout campaigns and closing the gap between the physical and digital worlds.

Among the categories, the Best Retailer category stood out, featuring awardees across 14 distinct subcategories, including jewellery, café, restaurant, fashion and apparel, footwear, mobile handset, food court, banking, automotive, furniture, lifestyle, cosmetics and skincare, electronics, and sweet and savoury.

However, no awards were presented in three categories -- innovation in last-mile distribution, inspiring retailer of the year, and experiential retailer of the year -- as the nominations did not meet the required standards of excellence.

In his remarks, Sajid Mahbub, group chief executive officer and executive editor of BBF, said, “In today’s marketplace, the retail sector has reached a critical juncture in the convergence of technology, customer expectations, and purpose-driven business models.”

“Today, we honour those initiatives that have not only adapted to change but have led the way in transforming the future of retail, embracing innovation and success as their core strengths,” he added.

The awards were preceded by the eighth edition of the Bangladesh Retail Congress 2026, held earlier in the day under the theme “Transforming Retail Through Knowledge”.

The congress featured three keynote sessions, three panel discussions, and two insight sessions, bringing together retail leaders, brand custodians, and industry experts to examine the evolving dynamics of Bangladesh’s retail sector.