Trade Associations in Bangladesh

There are many Business and Trade Community formed  in Bangladesh. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) is the most important one. It is the representative organization safeguarding the interest of the private sector in trade and industry in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is the officially recognized apex apparel export trade body of about 5,000 apparel manufacturing units in Bangladesh.

The BGMEA also acts as a pressure group to protect the interests of the RMG sector and acts as a facilitator of trade negotiations with global trade bodies such as the WTO, ILO, and UNCTAD. MCCI, established in 1904, is the oldest and most representative trade organization of Bangladesh having in its membership roll most leading commercial and industrial organizations including almost all the public sector corporations and all multinational companies. The services of the Chamber’s Tribunal of Arbitration, which has been adjudicating commercial disputes for a long time, have earned wide-spread recognition within the country and abroad.

Chambers of Commerce

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry

DCCI Building
65-66 Motijheel C/A
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Phone : 880-2-9552562
Fax : 880-2-9560830
E-mail : info@dhakachamber.com
URL : dcci.org.bd

Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Chamber Building
122-124, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Phone : 9565208-10
Fax : 9565211, 9565212
E-mail : sg@citecho.net, info@mccibd.org
URL : mccibd.org

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FBCCI)

60, Motijheel C/A., Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tel : 9560482, 9560102-3
Fax: 880-2-7176030
E-mail: fbcci@bol-online.com
URL : fbcci-bd.org

Trade Associations

Association of Air Cargo Agents of Bangladesh (AACAB)

House 45 (3rd Floor), Road 17, Banani Dhaka
Tel: 9881663, Fax: 9881664
E-mail: acabhq@intechworld.net

Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB)

Sattara Center (15th Floor), 30/A Naya Paltan
VIP Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Phone : 9332728, 9332712
Mobile : +880-1715-228953
Fax : 88-02-8355595
E-mail : info@atab.org.bd, atab@citech.net
URL : atab.org.bd

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA)

BAIRA Bhaban, 130, New Eskaton Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Tel : 8359482, 9345587, 9331244
Fax : 880-2-9344979
E-mail : baira1984@gmail.com
URL : baira.org.bd

Bangladesh Leather Goods Manufacturing Association (BLGMA)

3, Outer Circular Road, Rajarbagh, Dhaka

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA)

BGMEA Complex, 23/1 Pantha Path Link Road, Kawran Bazar, Dhaka-1215
Tel : 8140310-20
Fax : 8140322, 8140323
E-mail: info@bgmea.com
URL : bgmea.com.bd

Foreign Trade Bodies in Bangladesh

American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh

Room # 319, Ruphoshi Bangla Hotel, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tel : 880-2-8330001, 8358060,
Fax : 880-2-8312975, 9349217,
E-mail: amcham@bangla.net, amcham@amchambd.org
URL : amchambd.org

British Trade Center

United Nation Road, Baridhara, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh
Tel : 8822705-9
Fax : 8823437

Foreign Investor’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bangladesh (FICCI)

Shama Homes, Apt. # C-3
House # 59, Road # 1, Block # I,
Banani, Dhaka-1213
Phone: 9893049, 9892913 Fax: 9893058
E-mail: info@ficci.org.bd, ficci@bdcom.net
URL: ficci.org.bd

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Sharif Plaza 3rd Floor
39, Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh
Tel: 8818222, 8818223
Fax : 8818224
E-mail : Liton_Sarker@jetro.go.jp, Shariful_Alam@jetro.go.jp
Mobile : +880-191-9539640 (Liton Sarker), +880-191-9199884 (Shariful Alam)

Korean Trade Center, Dhaka (KOTRA)

Molly Capita Centre, 7th Floor,
76 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Tel : 8824218
Fax : 8823068
E-mail : jmorning@kotra.or.kr
URL : kotra.org.bd

Trade Center of China

Plot # 2 & 4, Block-1, Road # 3, Baridhara, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Tel : 8824862, 8825272
Fax : 8823004

District Portals of Bangladesh

Barisal Division

Barguna: mybarguna.info, barguna.gov.bd
Barisal: mybarisal.info, barisal.gov.bd
Bhola: mybhola.info, bhola.gov.bd
Jhalokati: myjhalokati.info, jhalakathi.gov.bd
Patuakhali: mypatuakhali.info, patuakhali.gov.bd
Pirojpur: mypirojpur.info, pirojpur.gov.bd

Chittagong Division

Bandarban: mybandarban.info, bandarban.gov.bd
Brahmanbaria: mybrahmanbaria.info, brahmanbaria.gov.bd
Chandpur: mychandpur.info, chandpur.gov.bd
Chittagong: mychittagong.info, chittagong.gov.bd
Comilla: mycomilla.info, comilla.gov.bd
Cox’s Bazar: mycoxsbazar.info, coxsbazar.gov.bd
Feni: myfeni.info, feni.gov.bd
Khagrachhari: mykhagrachhari.info, khagrachhari.gov.bd
Lakshmipur: mylakshmipur.info, lakshmipur.gov.bd
Noakhali: mynoakhali.com, noakhali.gov.bd
Rangamati: myrangamati.info, rangamati.gov.bd

Dhaka Division

Dhaka: mydhaka.info, dhaka.gov.bd
Faridpur: myfaridpur.info, faridpur.gov.bd
Gazipur: mygazipur.info, gazipur.gov.bd
Gopalganj: mygopalganj.info, gopalganj.gov.bd
Jamalpur: myjamalpur.info, jamalpur.gov.bd
Kishoregonj: mykishoreganj.info, kishoreganj.gov.bd
Madaripur: mymadaripur.info, madaripur.gov.bd
Manikganj: mymanikganj.info, manikganj.gov.bd
Munshiganj: mymunshiganj.info, munshiganj.gov.bd
Mymensingh: mymymensingh.info, mymensingh.gov.bd
Narayanganj: mynarayanganj.info, narayanganj.gov.bd
Narsingdi: mynarsingdi.info, narsingdi.gov.bd
Netrakona: mynetrokona.info, netrokona.gov.bd
Rajbari: myrajbari.info, rajbari.gov.bd
Shariatpur: myshariatpur.info, shariatpur.gov.bd
Sherpur: mysherpur.info, sherpur.gov.bd
Tangail: mytangail.info, tangail.gov.bd

Khulna Division

Bagerhat: mybagerhat.info, bagerhat.gov.bd
Chuadanga: mychuadanga.info, chuadanga.gov.bd
Jessore: myjessore.info, jessore.gov.bd
Jhenaidah: myjhenaidah.info, jhenaidah.gov.bd
Khulna: mykhulna.info, khulna.gov.bd
Kushtia: mykushtia.info, kushtia.gov.bd
Magura: mymagura.info, magura.gov.bd
Meherpur: mymeherpur.info, meherpur.gov.bd
Narail: mynarail.info, narail.gov.bd
Satkhira: mysatkhira.info, satkhira.gov.bd

Rajshahi Division

Bogra: mybogra.info, bogra.gov.bd
Chapainababganj: mynawabganj.info, chapainawabganj.gov.bd
Joypurhat: myjoypurhat.info, joypurhat.gov.bd
Pabna: mypabna.info, pabna.gov.bd
Naogaon: mynaogaon.info, naogaon.gov.bd
Natore: mynatore.info, natore.gov.bd
Rajshahi: myrajshahi.info, rajshahi.gov.bd
Sirajganj: mysirajganj.info, sirajganj.gov.bd

Rangpur Division

Dinajpur: mydinajpur.info, dinajpur.gov.bd
Gaibandha: mygaibandha.info, gaibandha.gov.bd
Kurigram: mykurigram.info, kurigram.gov.bd
Lalmonirhat: mylalmonirhat.info, lalmonirhat.gov.bd
Nilphamari: mynilphamari.info, nilphamari.gov.bd
Panchagarh: mypanchagarh.info, panchagarh.gov.bd
Rangpur: myrangpur.info, rangpur.gov.bd
Thakurgaon: mythakurgaon.info, thakurgaon.gov.bd

Sylhet Division

Habiganj: myhabiganj.info, habiganj.gov.bd
Maulvibazar: mymaulvibazar.info, moulvibazar.gov.bd
Sunamganj: mysunamganj.info, sunamganj.gov.bd
Sylhet: mysylhet.info, sylhet.gov.bd

Political Parites in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of another party.

However, though the center-left Awami League and center-right BNP dominated Bangladesh politics for a long time, currently both are heading coalitions of like-minded parties with the AL leading the secular and liberal elements while BNP is rallying the right-of-centre parties.

Parliamentary parties

  • Bangladesh Awami League (বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ)
  • Bangladesh Democratic Party
  • Bangladesh Freedom Party
  • Bangladesh Nationalist Party (বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল – বিএনপি)
  • Bangladesh People’s Forum (Gonoforum)
  • Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
  • Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP
  • Bangladesh Peoples’s Democratic Party (BPDP)
  • Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh
  • Communist Party of Bangladesh
  • Socialist Party of Bangladesh (SPB)
  • Khilafat Majlis
  • Liberal Democratic Party
  • Islamic Unity Front (Islami Oikya Jote)(ইসলামী ঐক্যজোট)
  • Islami Oikya Jote (En. Islamic National Unity Front)
  • Jatiya Party – Hussain Muhammad Ershad (জাতীয় পার্টি)
  • Jatiyo Party (Manju) (জাতীয় পার্টি – জেপি)
  • Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal-JSD (জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জেএসডি)
  • Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জাসদ)
  • Liberal Democratic Party
  • Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bangladesh NAP)
  • Peasants’ and Workers’ People’s League (Krishak Sramik Janata League)
  • Gonotantry Party (President: Mohammad Afzal, General Secretary: Nurur Rahman Salim)
  • Islami Andolaon Bangladesh
  • Workers Party of Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Representative Party (BRP)
  • Bangladesh Janata Party (BJP)
  • Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh (বিকল্পধারা বাংলাদেশ)
  • Zaker Party (জাকের পার্টি)

Regional Parties

  • Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS)
  • United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF)

Other parties

  • Bangladesh Shanti Party (B.S.P) (Bangladesh Peace Party)
  • Hridoyé Manush (Minhaz Elahi Islam-Mati)
  • Ganosamhati Andolon (গণসংহতি আন্দোলন)
  • Liberal Party Bangladesh
  • Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh
  • United Bengal Liberation Movement
  • Nagorik Shakti
  • Jonokollan (Peoples Welfare) Party

 বাংলাদেশ নির্বাচন কমিশনে নিবন্ধনপ্রাপ্ত রাজনৈতিক দল সমূহ

  • লিবারেল ডেমোক্রেটিক পার্টি – এলডিপি
  • জাতীয় পার্টি – জেপি
  • বাংলাদেশের সাম্যবাদী দল (এম.এল)
  • কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগ
  • বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিষ্ট পার্টি
  • বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ
  • বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল – বি.এন.পি
  • গণতন্ত্রী পার্টি
  • বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি
  • বাংলাদেশের ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি
  • বিকল্পধারা বাংলাদেশ
  • জাতীয় পার্টি
  • জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জাসদ
  • বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী
  • জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জেএসডি
  • জাকের পার্টি
  • বাংলাদেশের সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল
  • বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি-বিজেপি
  • বাংলাদেশ তরিকত ফেডারেশন
  • বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত আন্দোলন
  • বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ
  • ন্যাশনাল পিপলস্‌ পার্টি
  • জমিয়তে উলামায়ে ইসলাম বাংলাদেশ
  • গণফোরাম
  • গণফ্রন্ট
  • প্রগতিশীল গণতান্ত্রিক দল
  • বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি-বাংলাদেশ ন্যাপ
  • বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি
  • ঐক্যবদ্ধ নাগরিক আন্দোলন
  • ইসলামিক ফ্রন্ট বাংলাদেশ
  • বাংলাদেশ কল্যাণ পার্টি
  • ইসলামী ঐক্যজোট
  • বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত মজলিস
  • ইসলামী আন্দোলন বাংলাদেশ
  • বাংলাদেশ ইসলামী ফ্রন্ট
  • জাতীয় গণতান্ত্রিক পাটি
  • বাংলাদেশের বিপ্লবী ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি
  • খেলাফত মজলিস
  • বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ-বিএমএল
  • বাংলাদেশ সাংস্কৃতিক মুক্তিজোট (মুক্তিজোট)
  • বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনালিস্ট ফ্রন্ট-বিএনএফ

Banks in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Bank is the Central Bank of Bangladesh and the chief regulatory authority in the sector. The banking system is composed of four state-owned commercial banks, five specialized development banks, thirty eight private commercial Banks and nine foreign commercial banks. The Nobel-prize winning Grameen Bank is a specialized micro-finance institution, which revolutionized the concept of micro-credit and contributed greatly towards poverty reduction and the empowerment of women in Bangladesh.

Central bank: Pursuant to Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 the Government of Bangladesh reorganized the Dhaka branch of the State Bank of Pakistan as the central bank of the country, and named it Bangladesh Bank with retrospective effect from 16 December 1971.

Banks: After the independence, banking industry in Bangladesh started its journey with 6 Nationalized commercialized banks, 2 State owned Specialized banks and 3 Foreign Banks. In the 1980s banking industry achieved significant expansion with the entrance of private banks. Now, banks in Bangladesh are primarily of two types:

Scheduled Banks: The banks which get license to operate under Bank Company Act, 1991 (Amended in 2003) are termed as Scheduled Banks. Non-Scheduled Banks: The banks which are established for special and definite objective and operate under the acts that are enacted for meeting up those objectives, are termed as Non-Scheduled Banks. These banks cannot perform all functions of scheduled banks.

State-owned commercial banks: State-owned are functioning as nationalised. Here is the list –

Private commercial banks
Private banks are the highest growth sector due to the dismal performances of government banks (above). They tend to offer better service and products. Here is the list –

There are 8 Islamic Commercial Banks:

Foreign commercial banks: 9 foreign commercial banks are operating in Bangladesh. These are:

Specialized development banks: 4 specialized banks are now operating which were established for specific objectives like agricultural or industrial development. These banks are also fully or majorly owned by the Government of Bangladesh.

Land development banks: Progoti Co-operative Land Development Bank Limited (progoti Bank)Non-banking financial institutions

  • Uttara Finance and Investments Limited
  • United Leasing Company Limited (ULCL)
  • Union Capital Limited
  • The UAE-Bangladesh Investment Co. Ltd
  • Saudi-Bangladesh Industrial & Agricultural Investment Company Limited (SABINCO)
  • Reliance Finance Limited
  • Prime Finance & Investment Ltd
  • Premier Leasing & Finance Limited
  • Phoenix Finance and Investments Limited
  • People’s Leasing and Financial Services Ltd
  • National Housing Finance and Investments Limited
  • National Finance Ltd
  • MIDAS Financing Ltd. (MFL)
  • LankaBangla Finance Ltd.
  • Islamic Finance and Investment Limited
  • International Leasing and Financial Services Limited
  • Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL)¿
  • Industrial Promotion and Development Company of Bangladesh Limited(IPDC)
  • Industrial and Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IIDFC) Limited
  • IDLC Finance Limited
  • Hajj Finance Company Limited
  • GSP Finance Company (Bangladesh) Limited (GSPB)
  • First Lease Finance & Investment Ltd.
  • FAS Finance & Investment Limited
  • Fareast Finance & Investment Limited
  • Delta Brac Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (DBH)
  • Bay Leasing & Investment Limited
  • Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company Limited (BIFC)
  • Bangladesh Finance & Investment Co. Ltd.
  • Agrani SME Finance Co. Ltd.