Deep Dive: How Bangladesh got left out of Asia’s growth story

Tucked away between Myanmar and Nepal, and lying along the eastern border of India, is the little-known country of Bangladesh. Due to an unfortunate string of natural disasters, acts of extremism, and negative press coverage some 30 to 40 years ago, most people might think that the country is a place with widespread poverty and poor infrastructure.

In reality, Bangladesh has the makings of a startup haven. But despite its strong economic fundamentals, the country seems to have been snubbed by regional investors who only have eyes for India and Southeast Asia.

A fruit market in Dhaka / Photo credit: azeitler / 123RF

On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Melissa Goh discusses why Bangladesh has been left out of Asia’s growth story and how the country might be able to catch up with the rest of the region.

Timecodes:

00:00 – Intro music
00:46 – Today’s topic: The Bangladeshi startup scene
00:58 – Misconceptions about Bangladesh
01:55 – But actually, it’s not what you’d imagine
03:22 – One of the world’s fastest-growing economies
04:36 – Opportunities in the Bangladeshi market
05:30 – What’s happening in Bangladesh’s startup scene?
08:53 – Lacking in series A and B funding
11:18 – Can’t catch investors’ attention
12:36 – Why Bangladesh is lagging behind India and Southeast Asia
14:25 – The state of the local investment landscape
16:18 – Still a relatively immature and underdeveloped market, despite the potential
18:04 – Can Bangladesh catch up to its neighboring countries?
18:56 – How Bangladesh can close the gap
20:55 – Overwhelmingly optimistic for the future
22:19 – Local efforts to foster a thriving startup ecosystem

Download the full transcript here.

Featured reporter:

• Melissa Goh, a Tech in Asia journalist based in Singapore

Essential reading:

• Could Bangladesh be the next Indonesia?

Episode Sponsor:

This year, the Tech in Asia Conference will explore the tech opportunities presented by Southeast Asia’s new golden age. To adjust to our new reality, we’re going virtual as we aim to bring you the most relevant insights into four areas: