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Established 1976 · Dhaka, Bangladesh

Pioneering the
Knowledge Bridge
Since 1976

Bangladesh's leading gateway to international publishing — connecting global knowledge with a nation's ambition for nearly five decades.

Your Best Source for Books, Journals & Academic Materials

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A Half-Century of Connecting Minds

Karim International's beginnings can be traced back to 1976, when this new organization started its activities based in the old part of the city working as publishers' representatives, indentors and consultants to the different institutional buyers of books and journals in Bangladesh.

It was a time when such services were badly needed as the local trade were not fully organized in rendering the specialized and diversified services in getting their required publications from abroad.

From our early days in Old Dhaka to our modern headquarters at Yasin Bhaban, we have evolved from a niche representative into the nation's leading gateway for international publishing. For nearly five decades, we have served as the vital link between global publishers and the academic, institutional, and commercial sectors of Bangladesh.

Over the years, we have built up a tradition in meeting all the requirements of our clients for books and journals in all subject areas — from Astronomy to Zoology — from all over the world, by representing the major international publishers and distributors both on exclusive as well as non-exclusive basis.

1976
Founded in Old Dhaka
Started as publishers' representatives, indentors and consultants to institutional buyers.
1984
World Book Fair, New Delhi
Participated at the World Book Fair in New Delhi. PM Indira Gandhi visited Karim International's stand.
1984
First Book Exhibition in Dhaka
Organized the first-ever Book Exhibition for Foreign Publishers at the National Book Centre in Dhaka.
1985
Cambridge University Press 400th Anniversary
Organized CUP's 400th Anniversary Book Exhibition at the British Council, Dhaka, Chittagong & Rajshahi.
1987
Moved to Yasin Bhaban
Shifted to the newly built spacious headquarters at Yasin Bhaban in Tejgaon. Dutch Academic & Scientific Book Exhibition held at Dhaka Sheraton.
1989
Frankfurt International Book Fair
Participated at the prestigious Frankfurt International Book Fair, with further participation in 1992.
1995
Dhaka Book Fair & N.S.U. Book Shop
Campaigned for inclusion of foreign publications at the National Book Fair. PM Khaleda Zia visited Karim International's pavilion. Launched N.S.U. Book Shop & Cambridge Low Price Editions.
Today
The Best Source in Bangladesh
Main supplier of Bangladeshi publications to the U.S. Library of Congress. Considered the best source for foreign books & journals in Bangladesh.
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Years of Excellence
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Institutions Served
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Global Publishers
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International Book Fairs

Moments That Shaped Our Journey

From organizing Bangladesh's first international book exhibitions to representing the nation on the global stage, every milestone reflects our commitment to bridging knowledge across borders. Explore Our Exhibition Gallery →

Main Supplier to the U.S. Library of Congress

Karim International is now working as the main supplier of Bangladeshi publications to the Library of Congress — the single biggest purchaser of publications from all over the world.

This represents the highest recognition of our ability to promote local scholarship on the global stage, projecting Bangladesh's intellectual output to the international community.

Global Recognition

Comprehensive Services for the Knowledge Economy

We provide a comprehensive suite of services designed to facilitate the seamless flow of information across borders — from Astronomy to Zoology.

Publishers' Representation

We act as the local face for world-renowned publishers, managing brand presence and market growth — representing major international publishers both on exclusive and non-exclusive basis.

Import & Indenting

Specialized in the procurement of foreign books, journals, microforms, and AV materials. We make direct imports on our own account from publishers worldwide.

Institutional Supply

We cover the entire market of Bangladesh, supplying to almost all institutions all over the country — universities, research centers, government libraries, and medical facilities.

Global Export

We are the main supplier of Bangladeshi publications to the U.S. Library of Congress — the single biggest purchaser of publications from all over the world — promoting local scholarship on the global stage.

Subscription & Backset Division

Our dedicated Subscription & Backset Division manages complex journal and serial orders for researchers and medical professionals, providing a newly setup specialized service.

Defence & Institutional Supply

Clothing & Textile Uniform General Store Stationeries Office Items Communications Spares Digital Technology Aviation Items Equipment Surveillance Equipment Engineering Items Marine Items Security Items & Devices Technical Stores Hardware Underwater Equipment Machinery Ground Equipment Hydrography Electrical & Electronics Vehicle Foods Books & Publications
A Project of Karim International

North-South University Book Shop

From September 1995, the North-South University Book Shop started its operation at the main campus as a project of Karim International. The formal opening ceremony and the launching of the Cambridge University Press Low Price Edition took place on 25th October 1995.

Not only as a University Book Shop but as a General Book Shop for all categories of readers, N.S.U. Book Shop has become one of the best book shops in the city — your best source for books, journals & stationery.

N.S.U. Book Shop
Star Tower, 12 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh

More Than a Distributor — We Are Market Builders

Karim International is more than a distributor; we are market builders who have shaped Bangladesh's relationship with international publishing.

Exhibition Pioneers

The first organization in Bangladesh to organize Book Exhibitions for International Publishers — holding several exhibitions not only in Dhaka but also in Chittagong and Rajshahi, where maximum advantage of showing publishers' products was possible. Readers could straightway look at publications from foreign publishers.

Advocacy for Access

After many years of campaigning, from 1995 onwards the annual National Book Fair organized by the National Book Centre began permitting the participation of foreign publications. Karim International's presence at both the 1995 and 1996 Dhaka Book Fairs displayed a very wide range of titles from different publishers.

Affordability & Low Price Editions

We collaborated with Cambridge University Press to launch Low Price Editions (LPE) for developing countries like Bangladesh. We believe publishers worldwide will follow this idea of making low-priced books accessible to students. As prices rise, such initiatives are vital for education in developing nations.

Global Representation

Keeping in mind the importance of projecting Bangladeshi publications abroad, we participated at the 1984 World Book Fair in New Delhi and the Frankfurt International Book Fair in 1989 and 1992 — promoting Bangladesh's literary and academic output to the world.

Tanvir Yasin Karim

Tanvir Yasin Karim

Strategic Leader & Industrial Director LinkedIn

Leadership — Tanvir Yasin Karim

Strategic Leader International Trade Specialist Industrial Director 3rd Generation Legacy Officially Acquitted — Legal Clearance

Tanvir Yasin Karim is a businessman who leads his family company, Karim International, as a Managing Partner and Director. He is also a Director at Moonstar Printing and Packaging Limited and a Founder & Director at TR Trading & Distribution. Over the years, he has started his own projects, including Darussalam Publication Bangladesh and is a partner at Bengal Reliance International. Tanvir learned a lot about the business world by studying International Business and Marketing at Laurentian University in Canada and North South University in Bangladesh. He also gained valuable experience working at the famous German Chemical company, BASF, before taking over his father's business. He works closely with his team to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. He believes in doing business the right way by focusing on honesty and sustainability. Whether he is working on packaging, trade and distribution, import, indenting or international trade, his goal is always to provide the best possible service while being fair to his employees, customers and the environment.

Current Leadership Roles

Director

Leading marketing initiatives and long-term strategic planning for industrial packaging solutions.

Company Profile
Founder & Director

Managing the domestic sourcing of premium food products and scaling international export operations.

Company Profile
Managing Partner & Director

Overseeing the distribution of world-class publishers (Oxford, Mallory International Wiley, IIPH) to elite defense institutions, including the Bangladesh Navy, NSSD, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Maritime University, NSD, NSD Chittagong.

Company Profile
Bengal Reliance International
Partner

Orchestrating specialized export-import operations and cross-border trade.

Company Profile
Founder

Established a premier gateway for the importation of global leaders in Islamic education.

Company Profile

Core Competencies

Public Sector Procurement

Expert navigator of military and government tenders, specifically within the Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, and maritime academic institutions.

Global Academic Distribution

We maintain critical linkages with global publishers Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Cengage Learning, managing the professional import and nationwide distribution of their educational resources across all academic institutions in Bangladesh.

Strategic Industrial Marketing

Leveraging carton orders with Garment factories like IDS, IFL to drive growth in the carton packaging sectors for Moonstar Packaging and Printing.

Cross-Border Logistics

Expert in the regulatory and operational complexities of importing and exporting within the food, RMG, and handicrafts industries

Education

BBA in International Business & Marketing (North South University)

International Studies at Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada — gaining international academic exposure and a global business perspective that complements the family's cross-border commercial enterprises.

Heritage & Legacy

Nephew of Enayet Karim (Bangladesh's first Foreign Secretary) and grandson of both Mohammad Yasin (Solicitor) and Ashraf Uddin Ahmed who is the founder of Ashraf Textile Mill & Jute Mill.

Tanvir Yasin Karim serves as a beneficiary of the Khan Saheb Emdad Ali Waqf Estate, carrying forward a distinguished family heritage and legacy. As an active member of the management committee, he oversees a portfolio of significant historical and economic value — from the expansive 25-bigha grounds of Gonimiarhaat to the strategic 18-katha commercial hub in Dhaka's Moulvibazar.

"Director at Moonstar Packaging & Printing | Partner, Bengal Reliance International | Specialist in Defense Procurement & Global Trade"

Strategic Marketing Supply Chain Logistics Government & Military Tenders International Publishing Export-Import Operations Industrial Packaging

The Leadership Behind Our Success

Our management team brings together decades of expertise in publishing, international trade, and institutional supply — ensuring excellence in every aspect of our operations.

Late M. Nazmul Karim

Late M. Nazmul Karim

Founder

Sabera Karim

Sole Proprietor

Daughter of the late Ashraf Uddin Ahmed, founder of Ashraf Textile Mills & Ashraf Jute Mill. She began assisting her husband, the late Mohammad Nazmul Karim, in 1976 and played a pivotal role in Karim International's global expansion across the USA, England & Europe throughout the 1990s. Since her husband's passing in 2017, she leads the firm with a focus on continuity and family legacy, supported by her son Tanvir Yasin Karim (Managing Partner & Director) and her daughter Farhana Karim, who built a career in the American banking sector after graduating from the University of Minnesota.

Commander Md. Mizanur Rahman (Retd) BN

Commander Md. Mizanur Rahman (Retd) BN

Managing Partner
M. Fazlur Rahman

M. Fazlur Rahman

General Manager
Abdul Halim

H S Lt Abdul Halim (Retd) BN

Deputy General Manager
Zakir Hossain

Zakir Hossain

Finance Manager
Right from the beginning, Karim International is committed to render services to the nation. We firmly believe that in the final analysis, we are accountable to each of the constituents with whom we interact — all the publishers, our institutional, commercial and individual clients, heads of institutions, librarians, teachers, students, general readers and fellow citizens of Bangladesh.
— Karim International

Today Karim International is being considered as the best source of foreign books and journals in Bangladesh by all our valuable clients. We will carefully consider all proposals of developing mutual business so that we can continue to render services to all concerned.

Partner with the Bangladesh Market Leader

For promotion, distribution & sales of your publications — including microform publications & AV materials — to the institutional and commercial buyers in Bangladesh.

A

Having a long experience of representation, distribution & sales of foreign publications in the developing market of Bangladesh since 1976.

B

Cover the entire market of Bangladesh & supply to almost all institutions all over the country.

C

Make direct imports on our own account, ensuring efficient and reliable procurement.

D

Organize exhibitions for foreign publications in Bangladesh as a method of most effective promotion, besides normal promotional activities including direct mail campaigns.

E

Having a newly setup 'Subscription & Backset Division' to supply journals, serials, and manage complex subscription orders.

Unmatched Experience

Expertise in the local regulatory and commercial landscape since 1976 — nearly five decades of navigating Bangladesh's publishing ecosystem.

Wide Distribution

A network covering every major institution — universities, research centers, government libraries, medical facilities, and booksellers across the country.

Strategic Marketing

From direct mail campaigns to large-scale exhibitions at National Book Centres and hotels, we ensure your titles get maximum exposure in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Navy
Bangladesh Coast Guard
Bangladesh Maritime University
Chittagong Dry Dock Limited
Import Registration Certificate (IRC)
SME Owners Association of Bangladesh

Moon Star Packaging & Printing Ind Ltd

moonstarbd.com

Hasbunallah Trade International

hasbunallahtrade.com

Printfusion Company

printfusionbd.com

Pracserve UK Ltd

pracserve.com

TR Trading & Distribution

tr-td.com

Bengal Reliance International

Darussalam Publication Bangladesh

darussalampublication.com

3A Sourcing (HK) Ltd

For promotion, distribution and sales of your publications in the developing market of Bangladesh, kindly write us with copies of your promotional materials & detailed trade terms.

Get In Touch

Trusted by 66+ Institutions

Defence & Government

Bangladesh Army
Bangladesh Navy
Bangladesh Air Force
Defence Services Command & Staff College (DSC&SC)
Military Institute of Science & Technology (MIST)
National Defence College (NDC)
Bangladesh Maritime University
Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC)

Public Universities

Dhaka University
BUET, Dhaka
Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh
Rajshahi University
Jahangirnagar University, Savar
Chittagong University
Shahjalal University (SUST), Sylhet
Khulna University
KUET, Khulna
Jagannath University, Dhaka
Comilla University
Bangladesh Open University, Gazipur
National University, Gazipur
Islamic University of Technology (IUT)
Noakhali University of Science & Technology
Maulana Bhashani Science & Tech University
Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP)
Shere-Bangla Agricultural University
Gazipur Agricultural University
Chittagong Veterinary & Animal Sciences University

Private Universities

North South University (NSU)
BRAC University
AIUB, Dhaka
East West University
Independent University (IUB)
United International University (UIU)
Daffodil International University
Asian University for Women, Chittagong
East Delta University, Chittagong
Eastern University, Dhaka
Southeast University, Dhaka
Notre Dame University Bangladesh
Presidency University
Primeasia University
IUBAT, Dhaka
University of Asia Pacific
ULAB, Dhaka
State University of Bangladesh
Chittagong Independent University

Research & Professional Institutes

IBA, University of Dhaka
Dhaka School of Economics
ICDDR'B, Dhaka
BCSIR, Dhaka
Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka
AERE, Savar
BARC, Dhaka
BARI, Gazipur
BRRI, Gazipur
BJRI, Dhaka
BLRI, Savar
BSRI, Pabna
BANSDOC, Dhaka
National Library & Archives
BIBM, Dhaka
BICM, Dhaka
ICAB, Dhaka
ICMAB, Dhaka
British Council, Dhaka

Let's Start a Conversation

Headquarters

Yasin Bhaban, 64/1 Monipuri Para,
Tejgaon, Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh

N.S.U. Book Shop

Star Tower, 12 Kemal Ataturk Avenue,
Banani, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh

Publishers' Representatives Indentors Importers Exporters Books & Journals
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