CanCham teams up with trade bodies on software, exports

From left, Ahmadul Hoq, president of Bangladesh Association of Call Centre and Outsourcing, Masudur Rahman, president of CanCham Bangladesh and Forkan Bin Quasem, secretary general of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, shake hands after signing a deal at the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka yesterday. Newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cruden, extreme right in the back row, is also seen. Photo: STAR

The Canada Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday struck deals with two Bangladeshi software and call-centre trade bodies to help the duo in software development and export diversification.
The agreement aims to help Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and Bangladesh Association of Call Centre and Outsourcing (BACCO) gain access to markets in Canada and the USA.
Masudur Rahman, president of CanCham Bangladesh, Forkan Bin Quasem, secretary general of BASIS, and Ahmadul Hoq, president of BACCO, signed the agreement at a ceremony at the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.
“The objective of the agreement is to highlight the complementary role of the private sector as well as the public sector and help get market access to enhance business volume between Canada and Bangladesh," said Rahman in his speech.
Under the partnership, two seminars on IT outsourcing and call centre business would be held in Bangladesh and Canada in 2012.
Rahman said the presence of Canadian private companies is growing in Bangladesh as they realise that the opportunities that exist within the market of about 30 million middle-class population.
Canadian companies have already made their marks in textile, infrastructure, footwear, telecommunications and power and energy projects and are recognised in Bangladesh for high quality products and services, he said.
The volume of export from Canada to Bangladesh was approximately $627 million last year. Canadian investments in Bangladesh have reached more than $300 million.
Rahman also said Export Development Canada (EDC), the official export credit agency of the government of Canada, could play a key role in supporting both the private and the public sectors in Bangladesh.
Heather Cruden, the newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, said the economic relation with Bangladesh is important to Canada.
Mark Bolger, EDC regional manager, said there is a vast opportunity to enhance business relations between Bangladesh and Canada. "Bangladesh has achieved better GDP growth than countries such as the USA and Canada. So, many Canadian companies see more business opportunities in the country."