Bangladesh rides on new outsourcing wave

DHAKA: British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company (BATBC) would set up a call centre to provide technical and computing services needed in marketing. "The new venture ... will earn foreign exchange for the country while showcasing Bangladeshi IT talent in the whole world," the statement said.

It said the services would be extended to cover BAT companies in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan and Saudi Arabia in the future.

BATBC shares rose nearly seven percent to 98.8 taka on Tuesday after falling 0.21 percent on Monday. Brokers said on Wednesday BATBC's share had been gaining for some time on expectation of higher profit for 2002.

"The plan of IT services export by the company, which investors came to know earlier, has also been pushing its share price up," said Abul Kalam Azad of SAR Securities.

BATBC's net profit rose 83.45 percent to 874.32 million taka in calendar 2001 from 476.59 million taka in the previous year. It is expected to release 2002 results in June. The company is the top listed issue on Bangladesh's main Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), with nearly eight percent of the market's capitalization of $1.2 billion.

BATBC, which won the deal after competitive bidding with international IT companies, would begin the services from April, 2003, the statement said. BATBC, a leading cigarette manufacturer, is almost two-thirds owned by Raleigh Investment Co. Ltd., UK, which is part of British American Tobacco Plc.

($1=57.9 taka)

© Reuters