This is written from and Indian audience viewpoint.
I agree that Bangladesh is pursuing export led growth (it hasn't gotten the mix quite right yet, but things don't look half bad).
While BJP in India is trying to convince Indians that relying on domestic consumption led growth and even back to Nehruvian License Raj protectionism is the right thing.
I guess the wise (and Brilliant) Manmohan Singh reforms and export initiatives are now forgotten as India gets back to its regressive pseudo-educated roots, spurning the world economy for a closed market, trying to swap sales of insurance policies, hajmola, paan-ghutka and Pao-Bhajee among their own and hoping that internal consumption alone will keep India afloat.
BPO is not going to save India, far from it. Even India has a limit of how many four-month educated QA assessors it can produce. Newer, leaner, meaner competition will rise (namely Pakistan and Bangladesh).
India can try its hand at being a closed economy, but will not do well without becoming a part of the new world order, trying to hide its head in the sand will not work.
Also - I fail to see the point the author makes on why trade collaboration with India would hold the key to Bangladesh' growth. BIMSTEC so far has not helped Bangladesh' exports to India, far from it (it is the other way round). We in Bangladesh are consuming Indian low quality exports. SAARC has only helped one-sided exports from India as well.
When Indians have backstabbing weapons like Non-Tariff Barriers and frequently block Bangladesh' exports to India on flimsy pretexts ("Bangladeshi exports are made with Chinese parts") and sometimes outright lies, then Bangladesh would rather not waste its time on Indian market unless such time that Indians get some sense and come back down to planet earth.
I suggest Bangladeshis try to form trade alliances with China (zero tariff), African markets, Maghreb/Gulf markets and with D-8 countries (mostly large friendly countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Nigeria etc.) where NTB's or tariffs can at least be negotiated instead of with Indian trade folks who are constantly trying to manipulate Bangladeshi trade policy to get an edge and make a quick buck. They don't have a consistent trade policy for imports/exports (mostly opportunistic) and don't have a long term view for solid trade relations. You can't do business with Indians.
And therefore one Indian compsny called reliance has much higher export than whole BD.
