BRANDING IMAGE OF BANGLADESH IN THE INTERNATIONAL

MARKET
Submitted to
Dr. Abu Yousuf Md. Abdullah
Professor

Submitted by
Shafayat Hussain
ID # ZR-34
BBA 19th/A

IBA, University of Dhaka

September 19, 2013

INTRODUCTION
Bangladeshis have a persistent grievance that Bangladesh is not justly portrayed in international forums. It has
become commonplace for the country to be associated with natural calamities, wavering political situation,
corruption and other negative attributes. In most cases, propaganda is blown way out of proportion relative to
other parts of the globe.
It is unfortunate that the commitment and resilience of the people to enhance the image of the country goes
unnoticed. There is a general tendency among the international community to draw parallels for Bangladesh with
countries facing difficulties, completely overlooking the fact that Bangladesh, with its backwardness and structural
deficiencies, has made significant progress in fields that would make many emerging countries envious.
It would be self-defeating for us to engage in the blame-game and put the responsibility of such
misrepresentations on the international community. We have to admit our inability, thus far, in projecting the
country and the true spirit of its people, necessitating the brand building of Bangladesh.

BRANDING DEFINED
The word brand is a widely used term but is unequally understood.
Simply put, a brand is defined as a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of all these elements that
is intended to identify the goods or services of a seller and differentiate them from competitors.

Brand image is the set of beliefs consumers hold about a particular brand.
- Marketing Guru Philips Kotler
Simon Anholt, pioneer of nation branding, argues that brand is intangible because it has brand value as outlined in
his book Brand New Justice. The brand value lies in the trust of a brand name for quality and reliability, as a form
of guarantee for its reputation, as a promise the brand delivers and as the service it provides to the consumers.
An increasing importance of the symbolic value of products has led marketers and, consequently, policy makers of
countries to leverage their products with distinctive characteristics of the country of origin. Here comes the
concept of place branding.

NATION BRANDING EXPLAINED

A places promotional activities, contextualized in the domain of marketing communications, marking the
place with a distinct identity in the minds of the various target groups targeted by the incorporated place,
from an inside-out approach, assuring the places multiple stakeholders, in partnership, manage and
communicate the places brand identity to a wider world as they wished it to be presented.
- Dr Heather Skinner

The idea of nation branding is an extended form of place branding. Nation branding focuses on the nation as a
whole its people, culture and heritage, products and exports, investment, climate, tourism and so on.
According to Professor Dinnie there are five (5) objectives for nation branding. Nation brands itself to
o
o
o
o
o

Stimulate export growth,

Increase inbound tourism for tourism receipts,
Attract foreign investment into the nation,
Enhance political influence internationally, and
Manage negative stereotypes.

All of these play a role to the brand identity and brand image.

IMPORTANCE OF NATION BRANDING

Country brand strength is a nations ultimate intangible asset that helps to stand out regionally and globally, and to
realize future ambitions beyond its geographic size, financial performance or levels of awareness. When a
product, service or corporation is identified with a strong country brand, it has a better chance of premium pricing,
longevity and preference in emerging markets. On the other hand, a poor country brand leads to poor
differentiation, ambiguous meaning and low recall in the minds of people who travel, consume and do business
beyond the border.

NATION BRANDING: EXAMPLE IN TODAYS WORLD

Malaysia: Truly Asia, Dubai: The Jewel in the Desert, Uniquely Singapore, Incredible India, Amazing
Thailand, Sri Lanka: The Pearl of the Indian Ocean are some of the slogans and symbols used by respective
countries according to their current business need.
Let us look at a few examples of nation branding around the world.
Singapore Singapore is often treated as the best example of nation branding which has turned itself from a
resource-poor country to a global hub of tourism, business and shipping. In 2008, the Nation Brand Index (NBI)
ranked Singapore 24th with a score of 53.7. It capitalised on its important strategic location between Indian Ocean
and Pacific Ocean, and able leadership of late President Lee Kuan Yew. In his brilliant memoir From Third World
to First: the Singapore, Lee wrote about Singapores effort to build Singapore since its independence in 1965 from
Malaysia.
The government has created Go-The-Extra-Mile-for-Services (GEMS) campaign to attract service sector
investments as well as work force. In terms of tourism, Singapore recognised the lack of natural beauty, replaces
the lack of it with manmade beauty like a clean, and beautify skyline. The most important thing to make this
difference happen is long-term planning and consistent maintenance. For example, tourists do not see the

constant maintenance of these buildings, roads and the green environment. It takes time and patience to build,
and whatever was done in the past, has now become part of the countrys brand image. Singapore is a successful
example of Anholts theory of building provenance for the nation.
India Indian government created Incredible India campaign in 2002 that has approached increasing tourism,
investment and export earnings. The pilot of the campaign, Aamir Khan, a popular Bollywood actor who has also
global attractiveness, has been going around the world highlighting the rich and vibrant culture and heritage of
India. The politicians, economists, bureaucrats, policy-makers, industrialists and even the media are jumping on to
the bandwagon.

BANGLADESH AS A BRAND: CURRENT STATE

Bangladesh has made significant strides since its birth. Kissingers bottomless basket has now an economy
whose GDP size is close to US$ 100 billion, which is larger than half of all Africas 54 states taken together. Seven
million expatriates have gone from Bangladeshs poor villages have sent to the country roughly US$ 11 billion in
foreign remittance last year. Bangladesh RMG exporters are the second highest supplier of garment product to the
most competent market of the US and Europe.
Over the years, Bangladesh has become the export power house. Made in Bangladesh labels are now
commonplace in American and European stores. For global brands like Wal Mart or Tommy Hilfiger, Bangladesh
has been a hot spot, especially as wages have risen in China. McKinsey, the consulting giant, has called
Bangladesh the next China and predicted that Bangladeshi garment exports, now about $18 billion a year, could
triple by 2020.
Bangladesh in her Sixth Five Year Plan underscores the importance of exports for creating Today, Bangladeshis
with more than two times the population is close to self-sufficiency in food production and famine that Kissinger
had feared, is a matter of the past. Bangladesh has today achieved the best preparedness against natural
calamities like cyclones and floods that has made the world acknowledge the countrys resilience and its abilities.
In fact, when an international conference was held in Japan after the tsunami, Bangladesh was invited as a
special guest to talk in the conference because of its successes in dealing with natural calamities although the
country was not affected by tsunami. In Dr. Yunus winning the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, all these major
developments of Bangladesh have found projection before the world.
Despite our remarkable achievement, Bangladesh is yet to get a respectable position in global branding
measurements. In 2010s Country Brand Index prepared by BBC World News and Future Brand, Bangladesh is
placed at 102, below Rwanda and Sierra Leone where Bangladeshi Peace Mission has been playing significant
contribution to keep stability. In the South Asian context, India and Nepal stood at 23 and 59 position respectively.
This clearly shows that we are not tapping our achievement to portray ourselves.

UNFINISHED WORKS
It must be considered that there are around 195 nations in the world; all are aggressively competing for the
attention of investors, tourists and citizens. It is like trying to chat up in a crowded restaurant. Therefore, a wellplanned nation branding strategy is the first thing to do.
The brand strategists must consider two (2) key objectives:
First, making our citizens attached to the brand. This is closely linked with our perception about our country.
Therefore, our brand should be unique to our perception. Perception comes from the reality a citizen is living with.
There is also the task of improving peoples life standard so that a citizen really feels proud of his or her country.
Second, the brand strategist should concentrate on branding the country beyond the border. Its success depends
on how far they can reduce the gap between a natives perception and a foreigners perception about the country.
Considering these two objectives, the National Brand Index (NBI) focuses on six categories: People, Governance,
Exports, Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Investment and Immigration.
A brief presentation of these indices is given below:
People Bangladesh has been enjoying demographic dividend for the last few years, and this dividend will continue
at least two decades more. Population aged 60 years and above is likely to exceed the population aged below 15
years in 2046. Demographic dividend results in economic return: Labour supply, savings and human capital.
In Bangladesh, high rate of population movement induces rapid urban growth. Our urban growth rate is 3.5% per
annum. This high rate of population movement and resulting pace of urbanisation could be regarded as a driving
force of modernisation and centre of economic growth and development.
Governance Bangladesh continues to make efforts to improve core governance systems in areas such as public
procurement, financial management, fiscal reporting and watchdog institutions.
To improve public financial management, the Government of Bangladesh has taken a comprehensive Public
Financial Management Action Plan. With a population of 140 million, Bangladesh has only 1.4 million registered
income taxpayers and 300,000 businesses registered for value-added tax, with total tax revenue amounting to just
7.4% of GDP. The government approved a strategic development plan aimed at a full-fledged tax administration
modernisation project, fostering taxpayer service and ensuring uniform and equal treatment of businesses. The
government is also putting effort to build capacity of Board of Investment and Export Processing Zone Authority to
reduce administrative barriers in attracting foreign investment.
Exports Over the years, Bangladesh has become the export power house. Made in Bangladesh labels are now
commonplace in American and European stores. For global brands like Wal Mart or Tommy Hilfiger, Bangladesh
has been a hot spot, especially as wages have risen in China. McKinsey, the consulting giant, has called
Bangladesh the next China and predicted that Bangladeshi garment exports, now about $18 billion a year, could
triple by 2020.

Bangladesh in her Sixth Five Year Plan underscores the importance of exports for creating dynamism in the
manufacturing sector and for the provision of high productivity and high-income jobs.
Tourism In recent times, Bangladeshs tourism sector has come with real fervour to capitalise on the blessings of
immense natural beauty. For thousands of years, people from Europe to China feel attraction for the exotic cultural
legacy of this country.
We have rich archeological sites. Buddhist sites and monuments are very significant, including Paharpur, the
single largest Buddhist Monastery south of the Himalayas, Mahasthangarh the oldest archaeological site,
Mainamati the seat of lost dynasties (Buddhist) etc. UNESCO has declared Paharpur as a World Heritage Site.
In the capital city Dhaka, we have we have some outstanding monuments like Lalbagh Fort, Sonargaon, Ahsan
Manjil, Husseni Dalan,the Satgambuz mosque and the Dhakeshwari Temple.
Bangladesh is a combination of verdant forests, riverine countryside, and long stretches of sun-bathed beaches,
fearsome wilds, meandering rivers and venerable shrines. Bordering the mighty Bay of Bengal stands this magical
tapestry in green with all the glory of its past and the splendid colours of its natural present. The worlds longest
unbroken beach (120km) of Coxs Bazar is situated on a clean stretch comprising of miles of sands. Top of the list
on any tourists wildlife itinerary is a visit to the Sundarbans (worlds single largest mangrove forest) to catch a rare
glimpse of the Royal Bengal Tiger, in its natural habitat. Spread over 6,000sq km this riverine delta is crisscrossed
by a network of rivers and creeks.
Culture and Heritage We should highlight our culture and heritage, Ekushey February has got worldwide
recognition as the International Mother Language Day. Days such as that and Pahela Baishakh could display our
rich and varied culture and heritage.
While branding, we can focus on our food culture. Cuisine can be a powerful agent for reshaping public
perception. We should be strategic in using a network of restaurants and hotels and, thereby, promote tourism.
Investment Industrial Policy 2010 has announced a large number of incentives to encourage Investment.
Government has announced 32 Thrust Sectors for which special incentives will be made available. The
government will also provide venture capital support to E-O industries under Thrust sector.
In order to provide infrastructure facilities government has established SEZ, Industrial Park, High Tech Parks and
Private EPZ. Economic Zone can be set up by local or foreign entrepreneurs, organisations or institutions on a
PPP basis.
To reduce power shortage, the government invites the private sector power generation companies (IPP, ISP)
according to the private sector power generation policy of Bangladesh. Special incentive has been announced for
using Biomass, Solar and Windmill based power.
The government has also introduced tax holidays for developed and underdeveloped areas.

Bangladeshs FDI has increased significantly over the years. This can be attributed to our improved investment
policy.
Immigration Flow of remittances in Bangladesh is around six times higher than it was a decade ago. During the
fiscal year 1998-99, it was $1.7 billion while it increased to $12.17 billion during 2011-12. This growth helps
policymakers face the pressure on the balance of payments. In 2012, Bangladesh has earned positive balance of
payment.
Two (2) more issues are here which can play a crucial role in portraying our country better.
Strengthening Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a wing called the External Publicity Division that has been given in the
most non-professional and ad hoc manner, the task for image building.
Our neighbour India has establishments like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the External Publicity
Division for official image building of India under the External Affairs Ministry.

These establishments have authority and resources to undertake the image building of India whose
budget is perhaps more than what we spend for our Foreign Ministry!
- Ambassador Serajul Islam

ROLE OF NON-RESIDENT BANGLADESHIS

In 2011, on Colombian Pride Day, Colombian-Americans handed out over 100,000 Colombian roses to very
grateful and yet, indeed, surprised New Yorkers. Millions of Americans were reached with a simple message:
Flowers make you smile, flowers brighten your day, and flowers come from Colombia. The programme proved to
be a great success, and got huge media coverage in American presses as well international presses. Nonresident Bangladeshis (NRB) represent our country. The government should take them on board so that on the
one hand, they show interest to do business in Bangladesh, and on the other hand, they can attract more foreign
investors in our country. According to the governments recent policy, NRBs will enjoy special benefits in investing
in capital markets and maintaining foreign currency deposits. Bangladesh should go for a wide campaign to attract
our NBRs to these facilities.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
It was Dr Henry Kissingers insensitive and gleeful nod to Ambassador Alexis Johnsons reference to Bangladesh
as the international basket case, made in Special Group Meeting on December 6th., 1971, that dealt a mortal blow
to the country. Even after many decades, that cruel joke haunts Bangladesh and the damage it has done to
Bangladeshs development efforts is just too costly to comprehend. If there was justice in international relations,

Bangladesh would have the perfect case to sue Dr Kissinger and Ambassador Johnson for grave damages to
Bangladesh. Dr Kissinger, who encouraged the remark of Ambassador Johnson out of personal grudge that he
and President Nixon held against Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Soviet Union, gained momentum in the international
media after the famine of 1974 in Bangladesh; the 4th amendment to the Bangladesh constitutions and the
assassinations
of
Bangabandhu.
The 5th and 7th amendments that legitimized military rule and further damaged Bangladeshs image abroad and
made its development efforts that much more difficult given the fact that for a resource poor Bangladesh,
international support was then as it is now, of the essence to its development efforts.
Bangladesh has a formidable obstacle because of the partisan and conflict ridden nature of its politics. In 2005,
the internationally acknowledged financial institution Goldman and Sachs named Bangladesh as one of the
next11 emerging economies. It was wasted because the BNP was indulging with the Islamic fundamentalists and
Awami League eager to tag Bangladesh as a Taliban state. In the post 9/11 world, the two parties could not have
done worse for Bangladesh. The emergency that followed did not help Bangladeshs desire to brand itself as a
country
with
hope
for
a
better
future.
The Awami Leagues calls for Digital Bangladesh and Time for Change have encouraged the private sector to
lead the yearning for branding Bangladesh. There are a number of initiatives taken by private sector groups for
this purpose. Unfortunately, at the level of politics, the environment necessary for branding Bangladesh is
deteriorating. The calls that had inspired millions of new generation of voters for digital Bangladesh and Time for
Change are turning out to be weak slogans and politics is becoming more partisan and conflict ridden.
Hence despite the country being ready for branding, politics is not. At the government level, there is no serious
move for branding. There is an acceptance for image building at government circles that can be loosely
interpreted as branding that the private sector is trying to achieve but even in image building, the government is
talking more and doing less. In such talks and weak efforts at image building, clichs have dominated the thinking
of the government and still does to create a positive image of Bangladesh internationally without much success.
The clichs that have dominated the psyche of all governments, including the present one, have been
Bangladeshs beauty; its longest natural beach in the world; its glorious war of liberation; and its sacrifices for
language; etc. While these factors are useful for domestic consumption; these have little saleable value
internationally. For instance, the love of our poets in the countrys beauty notwithstanding, such beauty is average
in comparison to natural sites in other countries. Our longest beach may be a geographical fact but shorter
beaches round the world attract much more tourists. Our contribution for language has won UNESCO recognition
but
again
does
not
many
takers
abroad.
There may however be many takers if Bangladesh looked for image building materials elsewhere. As an
Ambassador of Japan, one of the proudest moments for me was when I was listening to songs of Farida Parveen
who was invited as a guest by Japan Foundation to mark the 30th year of establishment of Bangladesh-Japan

diplomatic ties. She sang Lalon songs to the accompaniment of flute by a person whose name I cannot remember
now except the fact that he was a world class flutist. Her songs were translated into Japanese. The audience
listened to the songs in rapt attention. Afterwards when I spoke with some of the audience, I could feel the
rendition had touched their hearts because Japanese people have great depth in the themes that Lalons songs
uphold. We seldom if ever make attempts project such treasures abroad and tend to think such efforts are a waste
of public money. Instead we prefer to give our poets free ride with the Prime Minister on her foreign trips and when
they choose to travel in economy class instead of business, our media eulogizes them for their concern for public
money! If Farida Parveen and Lalon songs are used for branding and image building Bangladesh in Japan, then
we could just not reach the Japanese purse but their hearts, keeping in mind Japans Buddhist traditions went
from
Bangladesh
through
Atish
Dipanker
over
a
thousand
years
ago.
We miss out on the richness of our history and civilization too eager to dwell on the present where controversy
raised by the two mainstream parties have not allowed us to benefit from the sacrifices our people made in 1971
that has few parallels in history. In the process, we have not been able to project that our history is as ancient and
as glorious as of next door India that has branded itself successfully as decedents of a civilization that has been
unbroken
for
many
millenniums.
Our branding or image building has failed so far for many reasons; as those cited. However, it has also failed
because the country has not spent the resources needed for such a national effort. In fact, the governments have
so far undertaken propaganda oriented efforts that they have chosen to call image building, spending pittance for
such silly efforts.

CONCLUSION
Our strategists should make detailed plans based on extensive research on each of the NBI indices, develop
performances and create a bouquet of achievement to present to the world. We should keep in mind that branding
is not traditional advertising, lobbying with overseas investors and beautifying the cities with billboards sporting
idealistic slogans. This is a grand strategy because, as the saying goes, a nation brand is as if a proverbial
supertanker takes five miles to slow down and ten miles to change the course.