BASIS launches Korea desk to expand bilateral ICT business
NN Online:
In a major step towards strengthening bilateral trade, expanding business opportunities, boosting investment, and enhancing business cooperation between Bangladesh and South Korea in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) has launched the BASIS Korea Desk. The inauguration ceremony of the BASIS Korea Desk was held on Tuesday at the BASIS Auditorium.
South Korea, being a highly innovative and technology-driven economy, presents immense opportunities for Bangladesh’s ICT sector. Through this new initiative, Bangladeshi ICT companies will be able to forge effective partnerships with South Korean counterparts. The BASIS Korea Desk will serve as a strategic platform for knowledge exchange, technology transfer, joint ventures, and market expansion between the two countries.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by Shish Haider Chowdhury, ndc Secretary, ICT Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology.
Distinguished guests included Park Young Sik, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, Dr. Md. Taibur Rahman, Joint Secretary, Wing Chief, ICT Promotion & Research, ICT Division, Mr Kim Taeyoung Country Director, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Bangladesh, Yu Yong Oh, Chairman of the Korean Community in Bangladesh, Shahab Uddin Khan, President, Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KBCCI), and Edward Kim, Chairman of the BASIS Korea Desk, was also present as the special guests.
In her welcome address, Fouzia Nigar Sultana, Member (Finance) of the BASIS Associate Committee, stated that members of the BASIS Korea Desk will have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of initiatives. These include observing “Korea Day” to foster bilateral cooperation, receiving policy support for market entry into Korea, and jointly organizing seminars, training, and workshops in partnership with Korean universities and research institutes. She further added that members would benefit from shared business leads from South Korea, participate in Korea-based ICT events, and attend networking and B2B sessions with Korean companies. Collaborative projects with the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka and technical and policy support through agencies such as the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) are also part of the programme.
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh, Park Young sik, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, highlighting its mutual benefits for both countries. “The BASIS Korea Desk marks a milestone in the growing integration between Bangladesh and Korea in the ICT sector,” he said. “I believe this desk will enrich Korea’s export market and significantly strengthen bilateral trade, business expansion, and cooperation between IT and software companies of both nations.”
Edward Kim, Chairman of the BASIS Korea Desk, commented, “The Korea Desk will help foster strategic and friendly relations between Bangladeshi and Korean technology companies. This launch is a significant milestone in boosting Bangladesh’s IT sector and positioning it as a key global player. By leveraging this platform, tech firms in both countries can build strong, mutually beneficial business relations.”
Dr. Md. Taibur Rahman, Joint Secretary (ICT Promotion & Research), ICT Division, said, “The BASIS Korea Desk is not just a platform, but a gateway of vast possibilities for BASIS members and Bangladeshi IT enterprises. We firmly believe this initiative will play a vital role in establishing Bangladesh as a powerful IT hub.”
Shish Haider Chowdhury, ndc, Secretary of the ICT Division, remarked, “South Korea’s trillion-dollar tech-driven economy and its robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) offer an ideal model for strategic cooperation. With its dynamic youth and reform-oriented mindset, Bangladesh is well poised to match Korea’s pace of innovation. I strongly believe that initiatives like the BASIS Korea Desk will enable both nations to seize the vast opportunities of the digital economy, ensuring mutual growth and sustainable development.”
Presiding over the event, Rafel Kabir, Chairman of the BASIS Associate Committee, said, “The primary goal of establishing the BASIS Korea Desk is to connect Bangladesh’s ICT sector more closely with Korea’s expansive market. This initiative will facilitate technology and knowledge exchange, crucial for enhancing the skills and capacity of our IT professionals. At the same time, it will pave the way for building a sustainable economic relationship based on strategic cooperation, helping position Bangladesh as a formidable IT hub on the global stage.”
BASIS firmly believes that this initiative will serve as a milestone for Bangladesh’s ICT sector and will significantly strengthen bilateral business relations with South Korea. Through the BASIS Korea Desk, a new horizon of collaboration in the ICT industry between the two nations is expected to unfold.