Six generations of consumer trust meets comfort

For Bata Bangladesh, a key focus is strengthening ethical labour practices through responsible employment, workplace safety, worker wellbeing, compliance with local labour requirements and continuous improvement across our production facilities.

Faria Yasmin

Managing Director

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited

Modern footwear shoppers expect it all: fashion, comfort, quality, and value. In a conversation with The Daily Star, Faria Yasmin, Managing Director of Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited, explains how Bata ensures consumers never have to choose between style and comfort, and how the household brand is evolving to meet the aspirations of today’s market after serving six generations of Bangladeshis.

The Daily Star (TDS): As a household name with decades of history in Bangladesh, how have you seen Bangladeshi consumers’ perceptions evolve over the last few years, especially with the rise of new local brands and changing consumer lifestyles?

Faria Yasmin (FY): For 64 years, Bata has been an integral part of the everyday lives of Bangladeshis.Today, we are proud to be serving our sixth generation of consumers, a rare milestone for any brand in Bangladesh. Bata is built on a strong foundation of trust, quality and everyday relevance. Today, consumers, particularly the younger generation, have unprecedented access to global fashion, styles and trends. This is where Bata’s global heritage and international perspective become a real strength. Our global alliances, access to international trends and understanding of evolving consumer lifestyles allow us to bring contemporary styles and global influences closer to Bangladeshi consumers.

TDS: Bata has been known as a complete “family shoe store.” How are you expanding and modernising your range to cater to every member of the family across everyday wear, sports and major festive seasons?

FY: Being a family destination remains one of Bata’s biggest strengths, but the meaning of a family shoe store is changing. The requirements of a young professional, a student, a child, a sports consumer and a fashion-conscious woman are very different. Therefore, we are becoming much sharper in how we develop products for individual consumer segments. We are strengthening our offer across men’s, women’s and children’s footwear, sneakers, sports, casual and occasion wear, while bringing more freshness around important seasons such as Eid.

Image

TDS: What are the biggest hurdles Bata faces in the Bangladeshi footwear market today, and how are you navigating them?

FY: The Bangladeshi footwear market has become highly competitive, with a growing number of local and international players offering consumers more choices than ever before. This has naturally created pressure on pricing, while consumer expectations around product quality, design, value and service are also evolving rapidly.

At the same time, businesses are navigating inflation, changing consumer spending patterns and volatility in input costs. For a company like Bata, there is another important dimension: we operate as a global brand while being deeply rooted in Bangladesh. This means maintaining global standards and strong governance while remaining agile and relevant to the local market.

For Bata Bangladesh, compliance and ethical conduct are non-negotiable. While inconsistent industry-wide enforcement presents challenges, we remain committed to responsible business and advocate for a fair, level playing field for all.

TDS: How does Bata Bangladesh leverage its local manufacturing capacity to contribute to global exports and showcase Bangladeshi footwear quality internationally?

FY: Bangladesh has developed a strong manufacturing ecosystem, and footwear has significant potential within that. Bata has been part of this journey for decades, building deep manufacturing expertise, developing skilled local talent and continuously strengthening its capabilities in Bangladesh.

Bata is unique for combination of our local manufacturing base and global reach. Bata is a global footwear brand with a presence in approximately 70 countries, giving us access to international markets and a clear understanding of global consumer expectations. Our focus in Bangladesh is to continuously enhance our capabilities across product development, quality, technology, efficiency and speed.

TDS: What is your vision for Bata Bangladesh and the broader Bangladeshi footwear industry over the next 5 to 10 years?

FY: Our vision is to re-ignite the energy and relevance of Bata in Bangladesh, building on the trust and heritage that have made Bata one of the country’s most trusted footwear brands for generations.

Bata has always had a special place in the lives of Bangladeshi consumers. Our ambition now is to build on that strong foundation and increase the momentum, becoming even more relevant, more contemporary and more exciting for today’s consumers and the next generation. For Bata, the ambition is very clear: re-ignite, build momentum and continue growing with Bangladesh, investing in our consumers, our people and our capabilities, while building a stronger and more future-ready business for the next generation.