Why do investors prefer start-ups in India, Pakistan over Bangladesh?

[UKBengali]

We also started in early 2000, 5 to 6 years probably before you and see the difference and was not I right when I say you are going to bring Walton to the discussion. I don't have anything against BD and want them to thrive. It will be good for the region.All the very best.

They were brought in as it is relevant to counter your point that BD is solely "Textile minded".

The company has grown revenues 1000% in 10-12 years due to a combination of it's own efforts with BD government support.

If you say something incorrect about BD then it will be highlighted.

No the year 2000 is nearly a decade as BD only started talking about "Digital BD" when it came into power in 2009.

 

[mmr]

True, agree with you. If women in BD can help their husband by earning whatever they can then they will be happy doing that because you just only have to stitch daily and need not to scratch your mind to do things differently. It is a monotonous job and need not require any specific skill set. I said to invest in youth. We do have our younger generations not happy with their bachelor degrees and go for higher education within India or abroad and start their career with 20-25 lakhs bare minimum. I as an individual having experience of 20 years does not stand anywhere in front of them. Whatever I am planning to learn at the age of 42, they learn it at college level and then hit the market. One thing is for sure that India is going to rule this sector for too long and we will double or triple whatever revenue we are generating. To be in a game you will have to be a part of the game else don't enter.



I am damn sure you will be talking of Walton and nothing else as you always talk of it. I am not saying that you cannot do it, I am saying you will have to go leaps and bound before becoming a competitor.

@bilal No one from MS,Amazon to Google is going to come to BD in near future as they have their DC already here in India. What extra benefits they will get open up Datacenter in a neighboring country. Just look at the study and the datacenters they are having. I believe for entire Africa MS has its DC in South Africa only and here you are talking about opening up 2 Data centers in South Asia.

Most indian immigrants come to canada easily earn 100k starting. Thanks to English and IT experiences. While bd immigrants struggle way more.

Thats why i said u guys are in the right path. Bd in general is obsessed with garments. I have barely meet any bd business ppl who tells me they will invest in a start up or software business. U ask them so what next? Its always oh ya i am opening another fucking sweat shop unit..next year same answer..if its not sweat shop then its something related to sweatshops or maybe rudimentary industry like food processing or shit like that where u can make easy money quickly by selling garbage to domestic consumers.

 

[EasyNow]

U honestly think bd will come out from making underwear mindset? Just look at the bd members on this forum so damm proud of sweatshops lol...so happy women getting 100 dollar per month to work 80 hours a week...and bd is on its way to become middle income trillion dollar (my ***) economy by selling cheap cotton underwear. Delusional bunch.

Indians are way smarter to get in to lucrative business such as software and this will serve u well for many years to come. Its only the beginning. This proves investment in education...research and open to take on challenging complex projects does pay off big time.

I don't think you understand the problems in the region. Let me put it into perspective for you:

Yes, there are around 3.2m women working in the garments sector in BD earning $2.90 per day.

But in India there are an estimated 87m women living in extreme poverty - that's living on less than $1.90 a day. The scale of the problem is staggering.

Bengali women are able to work to keep their dignity and stay above the poverty line, Indian women don't have that choice.

For every Bangladeshi woman you lament earning 100 USD per month, there are 27 Indian women suffering far, far worse. I won't even mention the other problems for women endemic in that society.

Bangladesh: Poverty

The latest statistical data on poverty and socioeconomic development in Bangladesh.

www.adb.org

Covid may leave 100 million women in extreme poverty by 2021: UN - Times of India

Times of India brings the Latest & Top Breaking News on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Cricket, Sports, Business, Bollywood News and Entertainment, Science, Technology, Health & Fitness news & opinions from leading columnists.

www.google.com

Yes Bangladesh is dwarfed by India in FDI terms - they have a much more established industrial base. And they have monopolised the IT industry. Even Pakistan has a massive headstart on BD having established FDI since the 80s. BD is a new proposition for investors and will take a while to build investor confidence.

 

[UKBengali]

Yes Bangladesh is dwarfed by India in FDI terms - they have a much more established industrial base. And they have monopolised the IT industry. Even Pakistan has a massive headstart on BD having established FDI since the 80s. BD is a new proposition for investors and will take a while to build investor confidence.

There is a "sweet spot" for FDI - successful countries like S Korea and Taiwan were at 0.5-1% GDP during their high growth phase. Not so successful ones like Thailand are at 3-4% of GDP average.

One area of FDI for India is home electronics and appliances but BD has domestic companies that invest to produce these goods. What looks like a good thing for India and bad for BD in this area is in fact the other way round.

 

[Bilal9]

@bilal No one from MS,Amazon to Google is going to come to BD in near future as they have their DC already here in India. What extra benefits they will get open up Datacenter in a neighboring country. Just look at the study and the datacenters they are having. I believe for entire Africa MS has its DC in South Africa only and here you are talking about opening up 2 Data centers in South Asia.

MS, Amazon and Google will come to Bangladesh for different reasons. Which has little to do with the reasons they came to India for.

You don't understand yet you are still judging - so typical.

MS, Amazon and Google came to India some years ago to support the backoffice businesses of TCS, Infosys, WIPRO and others. This is because local Indian cloud services operators were late to come to the picture, even though backoffice business was flourishing even a decade ago. It was an urgent need. Now the story has changed, plenty of Indian companies are getting into that game.

Bangladesh invested 350 crore in that single national datacenter (built by ZTE) so it wouldn't have to rent processing or storage capacity from either Indian nor other Asian datacenters. Dutch Bangla also has a huge fintech operation running locally in their datacenter. More and larger private datacenters are already planned. Govt. NDC will be doubled in size in another two years.

It is hilarious coming from a Shakuni Mama who is wishing that Bangladesh will not get datacenter while India is just now getting them. Dada - Shakuner dowa-tey goru morena...

Also, when local data processing needs skyrocket (which is already happening because of large scale digitization of govt. functions), MS, Google and Amazon will be there to provide cloud storage and processing services for a fee. Don't worry - we can afford their rates.

Shakuni Mamas like yourself may end up working for services sold to Bangladesh by these cloud providers anyway.

 

[leonblack08]

Most indian immigrants come to canada easily earn 100k starting. Thanks to English and IT experiences. While bd immigrants struggle way more.

Thats why i said u guys are in the right path. Bd in general is obsessed with garments. I have barely meet any bd business ppl who tells me they will invest in a start up or software business. U ask them so what next? Its always oh ya i am opening another fucking sweat shop unit..next year same answer..if its not sweat shop then its something related to sweatshops or maybe rudimentary industry like food processing or shit like that where u can make easy money quickly by selling garbage to domestic consumers.

That just explains you are meeting the wrong type of "business ppl".

You act as if you know everything about almost anything, yet your posts reveal the opposite.

Oh and that thing about easily earning 100k, I know plenty of Bangladeshis doing that too. Perhaps you ought to change the crowd you mingle with. A millionaire and self proclaimed money laundering criminal like you shouldn't be mingling with lowly low paid, honest and hardworking Bangladeshis.

Oh and while you are at it, please do change the Bangladeshi flag on your account, since you clearly think you are better than the rest. I don't think Bangladesh can handle your awesomeness. Nor does it need another negative Nancy.

MS, Amazon and Google will come to Bangladesh for different reasons. Which has little to do with the reasons they came to India for.

You don't understand yet you are still judging - so typical.

MS, Amazon and Google came to India some years ago to support the backoffice businesses of TCS, Infosys, WIPRO and others. This is because local Indian cloud services operators were late to come to the picture, even though backoffice business was flourishing even a decade ago. It was an urgent need. Now the story has changed, plenty of Indian companies are getting into that game.

Bangladesh invested 350 crore in that single national datacenter (built by ZTE) so it wouldn't have to rent processing or storage capacity from either Indian nor other Asian datacenters. Dutch Bangla also has a huge fintech operation running locally in their datacenter. More and larger private datacenters are already planned. Govt. NDC will be doubled in size in another two years.

It is hilarious coming from a Shakuni Mama who is wishing that Bangladesh will not get datacenter while India is just now getting them. Dada - Shakuner dowa-tey goru morena...

Also, when local data processing needs skyrocket (which is already happening because of large scale digitization of govt. functions), MS, Google and Amazon will be there to provide cloud storage and processing services for a fee. Don't worry - we can afford their rates.

Shakuni Mamas like yourself may end up working for services sold to Bangladesh by these cloud providers anyway.

Bhai Baad den, some people will always stick to their narrative regardless of whatever proof you throw at them. You show them electronics and car assembly, all they will see is chaddi.

I understand some foreigners doing it out of spite, jealousy and what not, but I find it difficult to grasp when fellow Bangladeshis try to ridicule other Bangladeshis' effort just to look cool to their foreign peers. What would you call them if not Uncle Tom?

A lot of initiative is being undertaken in the private sector to diversify the export basket. Just need the govt to be less corrupt and support the initiatives appropriately and timely. Results will be visible in time In Sha Allah. We are already seeing glimpses of that.

 

[fallstuff]

Real estate brokers our dime a dozen in Florida. Anybody can join almost any brokerage as long as you have a license to sell or broker.

My handyman was a real estate broker !

 

[leonblack08]

We also started in early 2000, 5 to 6 years probably before you and see the difference and was not I right when I say you are going to bring Walton to the discussion. I don't have anything against BD and want them to thrive. It will be good for the region.All the very best.

No, India did not start in 2000.

India started in 1970s which was a visionary move. They set up first Software Export Processing Zone in 1973. IT parks were being set up all through 80s and 90s. Not only that, India focused on quality IT education. Which is exactly why India is so far ahead of Bangladesh and Pakistan in this sector.

In comparison, government investment in IT in Bangladesh seriously began after 2009.

I don't even see the point you are trying to prove by bringing in comparison with India.

Real estate brokers our dime a dozen in Florida. Anybody can join almost any brokerage as long as you have a license to sell or broker.

My handyman was a real estate broker !

Exactly, one doesn't need to be highly educated to do that.

 

[Bengal71]

Real estate brokers our dime a dozen in Florida. Anybody can join almost any brokerage as long as you have a license to sell or broker.

My handyman was a real estate broker !

I am an IT professional, even I once thought of becoming a real estate agent. There are 2 week courses here in Aus, I did the course and passed the exam but never applied for the license because I changed my mind to continue in IT. Point is as you said anybody and everybody can be a real estate agent. Here in Aus there is not even any significant pre-requisite to do the real estate course, even a year 10 pass can do the course and get the license.

 

[HydraChess]

Just a single BD electronics company will smash its target of 100 million US dollars of exports this year and they have been growing at 100s of per cent a year over the last 2-3 years.

Just two things.

its not just one. Its the only.

And second, 100 million USD?

I am an IT professional, even I once thought of becoming a real estate agent. There are 2 week courses here in Aus, I did the course and passed the exam but never applied for the license because I changed my mind to continue in IT. Point is as you said anybody and everybody can be a real estate agent. Here in Aus there is not even any significant pre-requisite to do the real estate course, even a year 10 pass can do the course and get the license.

It takes few months of course work in Canada to become a Realtor here. It takes about $ 5K and then you need to take few exams to get your license. Finally it takes 500 CDN or so per year to "hang" your license in a real estate brokerage firm.

I wanted to do it because I was planning to buy a house and in my relatives, we are planning to buy 3-4 houses around same neighbourhood in Vancouver. That would have made good all the expenses done on the license. That being said it takes a bit of effort and we found someone else who was ready to negotiate on brokerage as a buyers agent for 3-4 houses.

 

[HydraChess]

India started in 1970s which was a visionary move. They set up first Software Export Processing Zone in 1973. IT parks were being set up all through 80s and 90s. Not only that, India focused on quality IT education. Which is exactly why India is so far ahead of Bangladesh and Pakistan in this sector.

Its the other way round. India's extremely restrictive manufacturing scene made it impossible for anyone to start a new factory. Only businesses were those of middle men. So, IT became a viable solution. It did not need any permits like most of the traditional industry did. It did not need any major capital investment. It did not need much office space too. Initial IT work was and is just taking up government contracts or body shopping. People made fun of it but really, it was and is a much easier path to prosperity than traditional manufacturing because it is impossible to do manufacturing in India. Too many hurdles for new entrants.

I earned enough to retire when I was 30 year old due to "IT". I can retire many times over in India with my finances. I am now trying to replicate that in West coast Canada. Again, thanks to IT.

My initial 20,000 dollar Amazon shares from 2008-2012 have been really helpful.

 

[leonblack08]

Its the other way round. India's extremely restrictive manufacturing scene made it impossible for anyone to start a new factory. Only businesses were those of middle men. So, IT became a viable solution. It did not need any permits like most of the traditional industry did. It did not need any major capital investment. It did not need much office space too. Initial IT work was and is just taking up government contracts or body shopping. People made fun of it but really, it was and is a much easier path to prosperity than traditional manufacturing because it is impossible to do manufacturing in India. Too many hurdles for new entrants.

I earned enough to retire when I was 30 year old due to "IT". I can retire many times over in India with my finances. I am now trying to replicate that in West coast Canada. Again, thanks to IT.

My initial 20,000 dollar Amazon shares from 2007-2011 have been really helpful.

Well, in any case it worked out for India. Be it by accident or planned. But at least what India did well was to focus in IT education to complement it. Not just at university level but even at middle school level.

I spent a couple of years in India, during my school years. I remember being introduced to C++ at grade 4, something Bangladeshi schools didn't do even at high school level at the time. Although, to note, perhaps my school was probably among exception, since it was a boarding school with lots of international students. Nonetheless, the familiarity with programming language from an early age is why Indians fare much better when they get into university.

Good thing though, things are changing in Bangladesh as schools are offering programming courses, there are coding clubs and boot camps and sorts helping foster interest in IT among young students.

Oh and good gains on Amazon...another IT opportunity is here for you to cash in, now that the tech sector has come back to earth!

 

[fallstuff]

I am an IT professional, even I once thought of becoming a real estate agent. There are 2 week courses here in Aus, I did the course and passed the exam but never applied for the license because I changed my mind to continue in IT. Point is as you said anybody and everybody can be a real estate agent. Here in Aus there is not even any significant pre-requisite to do the real estate course, even a year 10 pass can do the course and get the license.

Like any business you have to work hard to establish yourself as a successful real estate agent.
Big brokers don't do anything just take a cut out of your commission just because they're a big name brokerage.

 

[HydraChess]

MS, Amazon and Google came to India some years ago to support the backoffice businesses of TCS, Infosys, WIPRO and others.

Not really true.

I have worked for both MS and Amazon in my past lives. MS came to India in 1990 mainly to sell DOS/Win 3.0 based business solutions to government and private companies. It came to then surprising place called Hyderabad -- which had at that point more or less zero IT industry. India's local IT industry was in Bangalore even back then. It was not just some years ago, it was 3 decades ago. It opened its second development centre outside USA (first was Israel) in 1998. Microsoft IDC was owning things like IE Javascript engine, service packs etc back in early 2000s. This all was pre-cloud era.

Amazon in India also has a much longer history. It again did not enter the scene just some years ago to support backoffice businesses. It actually bought an Indian startup/business back in 1998 called Junglee.com. That domain is now defunct after launching of Amazon marketplace back in 2013. Its start in India predates cloud-era.

"Cloud" as we know today became a thing in mid to late 2000s. AWS first launched EC2 and S3 in 2006.

This is because local Indian cloud services operators were late to come to the picture, even though backoffice business was flourishing even a decade ago. It was an urgent need. Now the story has changed, plenty of Indian companies are getting into that game.

This is wrong. MS and Amazon had been active in India for much longer than Cloud had been a thing at all.

Bangladesh invested 350 crore in that single national datacenter (built by ZTE) so it wouldn't have to rent processing or storage capacity from either Indian nor other Asian datacenters. Dutch Bangla also has a huge fintech operation running locally in their datacenter. More and larger private datacenters are already planned. Govt. NDC will be doubled in size in another two years.

It is hilarious coming from a Shakuni Mama who is wishing that Bangladesh will not get datacenter while India is just now getting them. Dada - Shakuner dowa-tey goru morena...

Also, when local data processing needs skyrocket (which is already happening because of large scale digitization of govt. functions), MS, Google and Amazon will be there to provide cloud storage and processing services for a fee. Don't worry - we can afford their rates.

Shakuni Mamas like yourself may end up working for services sold to Bangladesh by these cloud providers anyway.

Highly speculative.

India is right now one of the regions in AWS (https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/) with another one to be launched in future.

Will there be a AWS BD? I am not 100% sure.

There is AWS region in singapore and indonesia (jakarta) but not in malaysia, which is strange. Will it make more sense to open a DC in west bengal after hyderabad? May be.

 

[HydraChess]

Oh and good gains on Amazon...another IT opportunity is here for you to cash in, now that the tech sector has come back to earth!

To be honest, I never actively bought shares. I get shares as a part of remunerations. I just let them be. They split and they rise making me money. I got 6000 dollar worth of MS shares in my early career. It split and rose and became a healthy 100K or so last time I checked. Next was Amazon. I sold a good bit of them. I will buy EFT and put it in my RRSP for reitrement.

Like any business you have to work hard to establish yourself as a successful real estate agent.

Actually, if you are a bunch of people all going to make a million dollar purchase on real estate each, it makes sense if one guy become a realtor and becomes buyer's agent. It saves money. That or negotiate a deal with an existing realtor. But then, a lot of this is because real estate in canada is whack and insane and stupid. Its like entire country wanted to run a massive "sell the land" scam.

Biggest asset realtor in Canada atleast have is access to seller listings (here they call it MLS).