Tuesday, March 6, 2012 Business

Bangladesh: next hotspot for outsourcing business

Analysts suggest local big businesses come to the emerging sector
Star Business Report Local big business players should follow the e a!ples of co!panies li"e #$%T and Sa!sung and enter the infor!ation technology business in Bangladesh, said a top analyst in software ser&ices yesterday' The country(s business)people could also follow in the footsteps of Tata or Birla, %ndian business giants that ca!e to the %T and outsourcing business a long ago, said Mahboob *a!an, president of Bangladesh +ssociation of Software and %nfor!ation Ser&ices ,B+S%S-' *a!an spo"e at a se!inar on ./utsourcing outloo" for Bangladesh. on the sidelines of 0anada Showcase 2012 at Sonargaon 1otel in 2ha"a yesterday' /utsourcing, also "nown as business process outsourcing, is a way of doing business through a third party' 2ifferent co!panies, including financial institutions, ban"s, teleco! co!panies and airlines, offer such ser&ices' There is no other sustainable e!ploy!ent than outsourcing business for Bangladesh, said #uru3ot Singh 4halsa, chief e ecuti&e officer of 5S)based 6orldBridge #lobal %nc' The country has the potential to create o&er 200,000 direct and 70,000 indirect 3obs and earn 87 billion a year in the ne t decade through outsourcing, 4halsa said' The %ndian !ar"et was a (9ero( when it started outsourcing business there, he said' But the country earned 870 billion fro! the business last year, he said' 1e said there is a !ar"et for around 8700 billion in the 5S' %ndia, $hilippines, Sri Lan"a, Bra9il, South +frica and $a"istan are doing good outsourcing business with the 5S, he said' 6orldBridge plans to in&est 8170 !illion in Bangladesh in the ne t fi&e years, which will create 10,000 direct and :,000 indirect 3obs and help people earn 8100 !illion a year, 4halsa said'

The in&est!ent will draw attention of other global co!panies to in&est in Bangladesh, he added' The Bangladesh go&ern!ent should facilitate ta holiday in the sector for the ne t 10 years, business &isas for fi&e years to the foreigners and pro&ide ;uality internet at co!petiti&e prices co!paring with the neighbouring countries, he said' 4halsa also said the go&ern!ent should build well %T and co!!unication infrastructure and bac"up international sub!arine cable to let outsourcing business grow in Bangladesh' The country failed to perfor! well in outsourcing although the business began in Bangladesh in 200<, said +h!adul 1o; Bobby, president of Bangladesh +ssociation for 0all 0entre /utsourcing' /utsourcing business is struggling in Bangladesh for a bac"up cable, he said' The "ind of outsourcing business Bangladesh pro&ides with the help of &oice or call centres occupies only 10 percent fields of the business, he said' *a!an of B+S%S said =1 Bangladeshi %T fir!s are now ta"ing part in two fairs in >urope to get outsourcing business' %n Bangladesh, 67 percent of the population are under 27, he said' The ti!e difference with the west is a uni;ue opportunity for the country for outsourcing business, he said' %T will be the lifeline of Bangladesh econo!y in the ne t fi&e to se&en years, he said' +nir 0howdhury, ad&iser to the +ccess to %nfor!ation ,+2%- progra!!e, presided o&er the se!inar'