Branding bangladesh

Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh
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1.1Background of the Study:
Interest in the concept and practice of nation branding has proliferated in recent years, as more
and more governments around the world attempt to attach the power of commercial branding
techniques in order to improve their country‘s image and reputation across a wide range of
sectors. 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. So, it is
necessary to remove the negative perception about Bangladesh & to spread out the positive news
to enhance the image of Bangladesh in the world.
1.2Broad Objective:
The main objective of the study is to understand the perceptions of foreigners & native people
about Bangladesh & to find the possible ways that will enhance the image of Bangladesh
globally.
1.3 Specific Objectives:
Under a broad objective the study focused on some several activities for comprehending an
overall review.
 To identify the problems that Bangladesh faces in tourism industry.
 To find the tourist spots those are renowned globally & domestically.
 To identify the solution that will lessen the problems in tourism industry.
 To find the awareness of people about the culture of Bangladesh.
 To understand the perception of native people and foreigners about the people of
Bangladesh.
 To find which country of origin is more precious to people.
 To identify the factors that limits the investment decision.
 To understand the image of the government of Bangladesh around the world.

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1.4 Research Design:
I. Type of research design:
Both the exploratory and descriptive research designs have been adopted for the study. The pilot
survey is undertaken that is less structured & contained more open ended questions & sample
size is smaller.
II. Information needs:
The information needed for the study was to understand the perception of people about
Bangladesh and what are the problems regarding the field of tourism, export, investment and
governance and the possible ways to solve those to enhance the image of Bangladesh globally
and domestically.
III. Data collection from secondary sources:
The secondary data is collected from various publications, books, internet browsing.
IV. Data collection from primary sources:
The primary data is collected by interviewing the foreigners and native people.
V. Scaling techniques:
For the purpose of the analysis, questions have been made using noncomparative scaling
techniques.Noncomparative scaling technique is a scaling technique in which each stimulus
object is scaled independently of the other objects in the stimulus set. Among noncomparative
scaling techniques, itemized rating scale- nine point Likert scale is used.
VI. Sampling techniques:
The sample units have been selected by using convenience sampling from different parts the
Dhaka City.

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VII. Sample Size:
For this study, the total number of respondents is 30. Among them 15 respondents are foreigners
and rest of the respondents are native people. The respondents are chosen from various
occupations like students, service holders, businessman, doctor, teacher, and tourist.
1.5Methodology of the study:
The study is dependent on both primary sources and secondary sources to collect information on
various aspects of tourism, people, culture, export, FDI (foreign direct investment), and
governance of Bangladesh.
There are two types of method for data collection, survey and observation. For the study, the data
has collected through survey method. It is an efficient way of collecting information from a large
number of respondents.
Two types of survey questionnaire have used for the study. One questionnaire has used for
measuring the perceptions of foreigners‘ and the other has used for measuring the perceptions of
native people of Bangladesh. Each survey questionnaire was divided into three parts for the
purpose of collecting
Basic information,
Classification information &
Identification information
The questionnaires include both
 Unstructured questions &
 Structured questions.
Unstructured questions are open- ended questions that respondents answer in their own words.
On the other hand, structures questions include multiple choice questions, dichotomous questions
and scales.

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The study is descriptive in nature that incorporates collection of primary data. The sample units
have been selected according to the convenience from different parts the Dhaka City. The sample
size is 30 which include 15 foreigners & 15 native people. The basic structure of the model has
been adopted from the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands IndexSM.

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1.6Conceptual Model:
Tourism
Culture
People
Export
Increase
awareness &
favorable image
about
Bangladesh
Governance
Investment
Branding
Bangladesh

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1.7Limitation of the study:
During the preparation of this report, several problems have been encountered that may be
termed as the limitation of the study. Adequate efforts have been taken to accomplish the
study according to the objectives. But as the research team is consisted of only one member
therefore it was not possible to cover more additional area, which would obviously give
better results.
Time Limitation:
The survey method needs a sufficient time to communicate with the respondents. But it does
not happen because people are always in rush. They do not make enough time for answering
the questions. Therefore, a very limited period of time is found for conducting the survey.
Financial Limitation:
The survey method needs efficient fund for fulfilling it properly. As it is for the academic
purpose, money shortage is an obvious constrain. For data collection, the budget for printing
and transportation costs is limited.
Literature Review Limitation:
This study has not done first time in Bangladesh. But the literature reviews were not easily
available. Moreover, there was very little information found in the perspective of
Bangladesh.

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2.1Branding:
Marketing Guru Philip Kotler defined brand as ―a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a
combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers
and to differentiate them from those of competitors.‖
He explains that a brand is basically a seller‘s promise to deliver a specific set of features,
benefits, and services consistently to the buyers. The best brands convey a warranty of quality.
Branding can convey up to six levels of meanings; attributes, benefits, values, culture,
personality, and user. The branding challenge is to develop a set of positive associations for the
brand.
Much of the definitions of branding focus directly and more on explaining what brand
means.Cowking& Hankinson (1996) state―A brand is simply a product or service which can be
distinguished from its competitors‖. According to John Murphy in Hart & Murphy ed. (1998),
such distinguishing aspects and brand features could be tangible and intangible.
Nilson (2000) writes that a brand is really just a symbol with tremendous potential, and that this
symbol can be expressed in many different ways. This is particularly true as such symbols such
as the Nike swoosh, the Mercedes star and the McDonalds' golden arches come to mind. The
brand symbol can also become a distinctive feature from other competing brands.
2.2Brand Equity:
The term brand equity is a prominent one in the theory and practice of branding. Fundamentally,
brand equity refers to the value of a brand. The notion of equity is borrowed from the field of
finance. One approach may be characterized as the consumer perspective, wherein brand equity
may be evaluated in terms of consumer awareness of the brand in question, consumer judgments
regarding brand quality, uniqueness, prestige and so on.

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2.3Customer- Based Brand Equity:
Aaker states that brand equity represents ‗a set of brand assets and liabilities linked to a brand, its
name and symbol that add to or subtract from the value provided by a product or service to a
firm and that firm‘s customers‘.
One of the leading proponents of the consumer perspective on brand equity, Kevin Lane Keller,
uses the term CBBE (customer-based brand equity)which he defines as ‗the differential effect
that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand‘. He proposed six
building blocks for measuring brad equity
Resonance
Judgment Feelings
Performance Imagery
Salience
Figure: Customer –Based Brand Equity Pyramid

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3.1 Nation Branding:
Nation branding is a field of theory and practice which aims to measure, build and manage the
reputation of countries.The concept of nation branding was elaborated by Simon Anholt in 1998
through his article ―Nation Brands of the 21st Century‖ in the Journal of Brand Management
where he pointed out that ―brands create a value that is invisible‖. Anholt, a market researcher
from the corporate sector, reckons that brand is a ―multiplier of value and as such represents a
substantial advantage for its owner; it is as good as money in the bank.‖
Compared to products and services branding, country branding is the process whereby a country
actively seeks to create a unique and competitive identity for itself, with the aim of positioning
the country internally and internationally as a good destination for trade, tourism and
investments.
In this regard, countries such as South Africa, Wales, Spain, Colombia, and Ireland have
succeeded in attracting FDIs and tourists to their countries as a result of carefully managed
country branding programs.
It is said that a country cannot be sold like toothpaste. Thus, nation branding is not about
pretending that everything is fine in a country, nor is it about discouraging investors and tourists
from coming into the country. It is about letting others know about the talents and the
opportunities that a country is endowed with. Accordingly, nation branding requires a broader
definition of the term ―branding‖ that includes a plan for earning reputation. Indeed, one needs to
inspire and induce majority of the citizens to act in a way that helps the country to earn a
reputation and make sure that the world knows about it and believes in it.
Nation branding aims to measure, build, and manage the reputation of countries. It applies some
approaches from commercial brand management practice to countries, in an effort to build,
change, or protect their international reputations or external perception. It is based on the
observation that the ―brand images‖ of countries are just as important to their success in the
global marketplace as those of products and services.

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With products, such tangible and intangible values are easily identifiable by the consumers, as
they can feel, touch, sample and judge the product before purchasing, however this becomes a bit
difficult with services, which the consumers can only judge after experiencing or based on their
prior knowledge and information about the service, a decision process which can be aided by a
strong brand identity.
With countries, the decision making process is even more difficult because the objectives and
costs are different, whereas a consumer could easily afford to spend money on a product without
much considerations and with potentially less consequences as a result of dissatisfaction, it is not
so simple with companies wishing to invest in a country or with tourists wishing to go on
holidays in the country. Both the companies and the holidaymakers are influenced by a lot of
other factors; this is because of the huge sums of money involved. For holidaymakers this will
run into thousands of dollars or pounds, they will also consider the relative safety of the social
and political environment of the country.
For companies, the figure becomes even higher, often running into hundreds of millions of
dollars or pounds, at the back of the minds of such potential investors will want the security of
their investments as well as the rate of return on such investments compared to the rates of return
on investment in other competing countries, the investors decisions will also invariably be
influenced by the political, social and economic stability of the country in question.
This view is shared by Randall Frost (2004) who wrote that ‗There's no arguing that the image
we have of another country says a lot about how we view it as a tourist destination, a place to
invest or a source of consumer goods.
3.2 Why countries engage in nation branding?
The application of branding techniques to nations is a relatively new phenomenon, but one which
is growing in frequency given the increasingly global competition that nations now face in both
their domestic & external markets. Nations are making increasingly conscious efforts to hone
their country branding in recognition of the need to fulfill three major objectives:

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 To attract tourists,
 To stimulate inward investment &
 To boost exports.
A further objective for many nations is talent attraction, whereby countries compete to attract
higher education students, and skilled workers. A wider set of potential rewards to be gained
through nation branding has been proposed by Temporal (14), who suggests that in addition to
the key goals of attracting tourists, stimulating inward investment and boosting exports, nation
branding can also increase currency stability; help restore international credibility and investor
confidence; reserve international ratings downgrades; increase international political influence;
stimulate stronger international partnerships and enhance nation building (by nourishing
confidence, pride, harmony, ambition, national resolve).
The way a country is perceived can make a critical difference to the success of its business, trade
and tourism efforts, as well as its diplomatic and cultural relations with other nations. With the
rising trend of globalization and the breaking down of international barriers of trade, competition
for consumers and inward investments, also known as Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) are
getting more intense amongst the countries of the world.
Charles Braymer of Interbrand, in his paper Branding A Country (2003) writes that countries
will compete daily with neighbors or block regions for tourism, inward investment and export
sales, There's only so much business that can go around. Those countries that start with an
unknown or poor reputation will be limited or marginalized. They cannot easily boost their
commercial success.
3.3The need of nation branding for Bangladesh:
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.

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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.
We often come across slogans like: ―Malaysia: Truly Asia,‖―Dubai: The Jewel in the
Desert,‖―China: The Factory of the World,‖―Sri Lanka: The Pearl of the Indian Ocean,‖etc.
When we open Newsweek, Time, or The Economist, we see that some Latin American countries
are doing the same.
Though ―Shining India‖ could not achieve enough votes for BJP, the respect for the ―India‖
brand with its continuous institutional reforms, quality of education, industrial innovations, IT
revolution, and the ―Indian Knowledge Bank,‖ with its ability to deliver, reaches the intended
target markets.
All the stakeholders in a transition economy like Bangladesh must be clear about the destination,
in line with similar countries that have transitioned to the next growth trajectory. However, in the
process of developing an energetic brand, we should not sideline critical issues such as the anti-
corruption drive, generation of economic activities for poverty alleviation and gaining the trust of
the citizens through actions.
Micro-credit is invented in Bangladesh to fend off poverty, and is sharing it with the rest of the
world. Bangladesh is competing with the giants of the world in ready-made garments and
successfully growing each year. Our nation was created with the dream of justice and equal
opportunity for everyone, and a commitment to change the fate of the deprived.
Our ancestors made great sacrifices so that their descendants may enjoy these universal
attributes. Thousand years of culture and civilization have given our people humility,
perseverance and hope, which enable us to fight against adversities.

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We are truly a ―nation-state‖ with almost the same culture, religious tolerance, and social values.
In developing a brand, we must believe in what we propose to deliver. We must be open to our
weaknesses and backwardness, and leverage on the strength of our achievements.
We need to send a message to the international community that we mean business, there is policy
continuity despite change of the government, democracy means the same thing here as
elsewhere, and that we are continuously striving to build respectable institutions. All these will
be a continuous battle, just as creating a vibrant brand for ―Bangladesh‖ is.
As MaswoodAlam Khan states, A Bangladeshi who has been living abroad as an expatriate
professional knows how humiliating it is when he does not find or remember anything of his own
country to boast about that he can refer at least as a near comparison, if not better, with
something similar people on the street, friends in a club or colleagues in the workplace in his
host country usually flaunt or talk about. Even worse, his heart sinks when he reads or views
reports of news that tell horrible stories of avoidable human losses in natural and manmade
disasters and strange stories of chaos and corruption in Bangladesh. Thus it is necessary to
promote positive things about Bangladesh so that not only the investors and tourists can rely on
us but also the people of Bangladesh will find or remember anything of his or her own country to
boast about that he or she can refer at least as a near comparison.

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Nation Branding is a timely report, but it is found that the literature review about nation branding
is not easily available.
One of the reasons for lack of readily available resources in the field could be found in the
comments made by Wally Olins (1999), according to him; the popular assumption is that
national branding is a novel concept. In another paper Branding the Nation - the historical
perspectives, Olins warns countries of the risks of ignoring Nation branding and predicts that
country branding will become normal practice in the coming decades. According to him, the lack
of interest and belief in country branding by some skeptics is only as a result of snobbery,
ignorance and semantics.
As Van Ham (2001) has noted, ―Smart states are building their brands around reputations and
attitudes in the same way smart companies do‖. This irruption of the vocabulary of branding into
the international affairs of nations is not universally welcomed and there is a widespread sense of
cynicism and suspicion regarding the appropriateness and relevance of such overtly commercial
practices.
Mathias Akotia described that nation or country branding is about using strategic marketing to
promote different aspects of a country‘s identity. Country branding implies that countries behave
in many ways like commercial and corporate brands.
Country branding is not about spin, neither is it about propaganda. It is about proactive and
conscious husbandry of a nation‘s identity so as to enhance citizenship behaviors and nationhood
internally, and to compete favorably internationally. It is about the recognition that image and
reputation of a country as well as aggregate citizenship behavior are critical to a nation‘s
strategic development.
Martin Roll has noted that differentiation has become a core element of any brand strategy.
Central to differentiation is to demonstrate both points of parity and points of difference from
competing brands. One way brands achieve this is by associating themselves with either a
category or a place. The latter is usually referred to as country branding. French wine, Danish

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designs, Swiss watches, German engineering and Italian haute couture are results of very
aggressive country branding.
Landor said that countries are difficult products. It is very difficult to modify a country so that it
meets target needs unless there are serious interventions in the country's infrastructure. One
cannot add a chain of mountains or alter a country's weather, for example. Building a new airport
or highway is much more difficult than changing a flavor or package.
According to Debapriya Bhattacharya, a country cannot be sold like toothpaste. Thus, nation
branding is not about pretending that everything is fine in a country, nor is it about discouraging
investors and tourists from coming into the country. It is about letting others know about the
talents and the opportunities that a country is endowed with. Accordingly, nation branding
requires a broader definition of the term ―branding‖ that includes a plan for earning reputation.
Indeed, one needs to inspire and induce majority of the citizens to act in a way that helps the
country to earn a reputation and make sure that the world knows about it and believes in it.
The concept of nation branding was elaborated by Simon Anholt in 1998 through his article
―Nation Brands of the 21st Century‖ in the Journal of Brand Management where he pointed out
that ―brands create a value that is invisible‖.He reckons that brand is a ―multiplier of value and as
such represents a substantial advantage for its owner; it is as good as money in the bank.‖
He developed the concept of the Nation Brands Index® in 2005. Since 2005, when he coined the
term 'nation brand' and gave birth to this important new field, Simon Anholt has been helping
governments plan the policies, strategies, investments and innovations which lead their country
towards an improved profile and reputation.
The Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands IndexSMmeasures the power and appeal of each
country‘s ‗brand image‘ by examining six dimensions of national competence. Together, these
dimensions make up the Nation Brand Hexagon®. Based on these six dimensions, each year
Simon Anholt and GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media rank the countries of the world in each
criterion and in overall criteria. USA is ranked top in overall brand ranking in 2009 and France,

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Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and Canada ranked first in culture, tourism, people,
governance, export, investment criteria. (Appendix: Table 1 & 2)
Younghye and her associates (2009) define country image specifically as a set of beliefs
regarding the following five componentsof nation: its people, its products and companies, its
government, its culture and the country as a place.
These experiences come from direct interactions with a country and its people through travel and
work(Dinnie 2007), indirect observation of a country, its people and policies as well as active
and passive media exposure (Fan 2006).
So it is important for Bangladesh to improve its global image. Although Bangladesh is not
considered for Anholt‘s nation brand ranking but Bangladesh has always held a great promise.
As Hasan(2009) said that there are only a few countriesthat got their freedom through war.
Bangladesh is among those great nations. The people of Bangladesh fought a historic war of
Liberation in 1971- one of the bloodiest wars in the history of mankind. After its independence,
since 1971, despite having positive achievements, the country has been labeled with many
negative images, either imaginary or genuine, by a group of ill-motivated people, both at home
and abroad. It is true that Bangladesh is a country with a huge population accompanied by

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increasing unemployment, population growth, corruption, and price inflation. From
independence Bangladesh was branded (positively and negatively) at different times. This can be
presented in the following table:
But the negative aspects of Bangladesh arehighlighted morethan the positive aspects. That is why
promoting the positive aspects of Bangladesh to let the world know is the demand of the time.
5.1Branding Bangladesh:
Good
1. Flood 1. War of Liberation(1971)
2. Natural Calamities 2. Ekushe February
3. Nobel Prize by Prof. Yunus(2007)
4. National Fair Election (2008)
5. National ID and Voter List
6. Indicators on Health, Media,
Agriculture, RMG, Remittance,
Gender, Women empowerment etc.
7. Energetic People
8. Un Peace keeping Force
9. Cox‘s Bazar, other natural beauty
Weak Powerful
1. TI corruption Ranking (2001-2006) 1. State of Emergency (2007-2008)
2. Militant, terrorism etc.
3. Killing of political leaders (1975-1981)
4. BDR Violence (2009)
Bad

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Nation branding is not yet given much attention in the middle and low income countries. But if a
country opts not to have a branding strategy, it does not mean that others will leave it alone.
Rather, disadvantaged countries like Bangladesh will be left to the discretion of others and get
―branded‖ based on limited and partial or biased information. Remaining cognizant of this,
emerging economies are increasingly addressing the issue of nation branding in a pro-active
manner. For instance, in the region, India is recreating its image as the hub of IT based industries
and services as well as a major source of skilled manpower. Even small countries, like Bhutan,
may use their image of being small, unique, and fragile that is envied by the developed world.
Till date, Anholt Index does not include Bangladesh. But as Bangladesh progresses, it will
definitely generate enhanced interest in the global community and the sponsors of the index will
be inclined to include the country in its exercise.
It is not needed to make a replica of Disney World in Dhaka to attract foreign tourists to visit our
country with the whole lot of their families including their grandchildren. We don't need to offer
loans worth billions of American dollars to allure foreign entrepreneurs to set up their shops and
industries on our soil. What we need to do is an assurance that we as a nation are hospitable and
we love nature. What the government has to do is do whatever is possible with our limited
resources to upgrade our capital city's present status of being the second least-livable city in the
world to a reasonably better rank tolerable to a foreign tourist for his enjoying a break for a
couple of days and to make our investment climate attractive by offering durable infrastructures,
quality labor forces and hassle-free utility services needed for industrial efficiency, safety,
growth and sustenance in the longterm.
Despite significant achievements made in reducing infant mortality rate, tree plantations,
enrolment in primary education, standard education policy, stipends for female students, women
empowerment, freedom of press, sanitation, population control, innovation of micro-credit, game
of cricket, disaster management, export-oriented industries, remittance inflows, resilience in
weathering global financial crises, ridding the nation of the image of fundamentalism, giving the
idea on introducing the International Language Day and many more achievements like the recent
conquering of Mount Everest, Bangladesh is yet to win a room in the hearts of global

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communities to convince tourists and investors to visit our home, the biggest deltaic land in the
world enlaced by the Earth's longest mangrove forests and bestowed upon by cheap labor forces.
Hence, the branding of Bangladesh is crucial for her development through trade, tourism,
investment and international cooperation. And branding has to be done through amplification of
what we actually have achieved and what we naturally have but not through any fabrication of
what we don't have or by any jugglery of words in making tall promises that we can never fulfill.
5.2SWOT Analysis:
Strength:
 Bangladesh is in good geographic Location
 Important link between the economies of South Asia & South East Asian region
 Chittagong port emerges as a major Port
 Beautiful tourist location
 Distinctive Culture
 Hospitality
 The country's vulnerability to natural disasters has significantly declined.
 Micro Credit
Weakness:
 Political Instability
 Natural disaster
 Over population
 Poor Infrastructures
 Corruption
 Lack of available funds is another serious problem of our country
Opportunities:

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 Human capital
 The increasing participation of women in various important sectors will foster the
economic growth of Bangladesh.
 Improvement in governance, infrastructure and investment climate can attract more
foreign Direct Investment.
 ICT sector can emerge as one of major contributing sectors of our country.
Threats:
 Adverse global development.
 Rising inequality in income & wealth.
 Improper management of development may bring out encourage poverty and inequality
leading to social instability.
 Bangladesh is victim of increasing terrorism and sharp increase in commodity prices in
global market.
5.3 PEST Analysis:
P Political Factors:
Democracy in Bangladesh is young and fragile.
During the first twenty yearsafter independence (1971–1990), Bangladesh was most of
the time ruled by non-elected and military-backed governments.
After a popular movement, a democratic parliamentary form of government was installed
in 1991.

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The polarization and hostilitybetween two main political parties continue and the
opposition frequently uses traditional―Hartals‖ (civil disobedience and general strikes) as
political weapons.
Political instability and corruption hamper the economic growth of Bangladesh.
The government policy is not considered as business friendly to do business in
Bangladesh.
EEconomic Factors:
The economy is predominantly agrarian, with two-thirds of the population engaged in
agriculturally based activities.
GDP at current price 6149.4 billion (Taka)
GDP growth rate 5.88
Per capita national income 42,638 (Taka) or 621 (US$)
The amount of import is 1396 billion (Taka) & export 1072.1 billion (Taka) and trade
balance is -323.9 billon (Taka).
Inflation rate 8.12% (September, 2010, Bangladesh Bank)
(Source: Bangladesh economic review 2009-2010)
SSociocultural Factors:

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The population of Bangladesh is 146.1 million in 2009-10.
Population growth rate 1.32%
Population density 990/Sq. Km
Over 85% of the population are Muslims, less than 13% Hindus and the remaining are
Christians, Buddhists
Literacy rate of population 11 + years 49.1%
The number of civilian labor force is 4.74 crore, among them 3.61 crore are male and
1.13 crore are women.
The general wage rate is 5026 taka
(Source: Bangladesh economic review 2009-2010)
TTechnological Factors
The technological environment in Bangladesh is not up to date.
The government of Bangladesh has chosen some priority sectors such as agriculture,
power generation etc. to adopt latest technological trends.

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6.1The perception of people about Bangladesh:
Branding is a kind of creating imagery in people's mind.As Kevin Lane Keller said that brand
knowledge has two components: brand awareness and brand image. Brand awareness is related
to the strength of the brand node or trace in memory. On the other hand brand image is peoples‘
perceptions about a brand, as reflected by the brand associations held in peoples‘ memory. Brand
awareness consists of brand recognition and recall performance. Brand recognition is the
peoples‘ ability to confirm prior exposure to the brand when given the brand as a cue. Brand
recall is peoples‘ ability to retrieve the brand from memory when given the category.
So it is important to know what lies in the people‘s mind when they think of Bangladesh. As
AlRies and Jack Trout (1981) said, ―the perceptions of people in a place are often different from
those visiting it.‖ That is why the study is aimed to find the similarities and differences between
the perceptions of native people and foreigners to understand the divergence of their perceptions.
Chart 1 reveals that in terms of the TOM (Top of Mind), it is found that 26% of the native
respondents say that over population comes to their when they think about Bangladesh. It is
followed by rich in natural beauty (13.2%), corruption (13.2%). However, when all the
perceptions are ranked based on the first four recognitions, Bangladesh is rich in natural beauty
Brand Knowledge
Brand
Awareness
Brand Image
Brand
Recognition
Brand Recall

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(19.2%) is found at the top of the list followed by over population (15.4%), traffic congestion
(9.6%) and load shedding (9.6%). (Appendix: Table.3)
Chart 2 reveals that in terms of the TOM (Top of Mind), it is found that when foreigners think
about Bangladesh, they think it is the country of friendly people (20.0%), poverty (20.0%), over
population (20.0%) and pollution (20.0%). However, when all the perceptions are ranked based
on the first four recognitions, it is also found that they think Bangladesh is a country of friendly
people (20.5%) followed by poverty (20%), over population (20%), load shedding (20%) and
traffic congestion (20%). (Appendix: Table.4)
0%
19%
12%
12%
10%
10%
10%
5%
5%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Chart 1:The Perception of native People about Bangladesh
Rich in Natural Beauty
Over Crowded
Traffic Congestion
Load Shedding
Corruption
Friendly People
Pollution
Distinctive Culture
Riverine
Liberation War
A Feeling of Motherland
Politically Disturbed
Poverty
Dusty
Agricultural
Hospitality

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So, it is found that Bangladesh is rich in natural beauty and is country of friendly people are
ranked first in the perceptions of native people and foreigners respectively. But there are several
negative things like over population, poverty, traffic congestion, loadshedding are also in the
minds of both foreigners‘ and native people.This can be shown by the following diagram:
21%
9%
9%
9%9%
7%
7%
7%
7%
5%
3% 3% 2% 2%
Chart 2 : Perception of foreigners about Bangladesh
Friendly People
Poverty
Over Crowded
Load Shedding
Traffic Congestion
Pollution
Rich in Natural
Beauty
Rickshaw
Politically Disturbed
Over Crowded
Hospitality
Illiteracy
Corruption
Wild Life

26
But the real fact is Bangladesh has much to offer foreigners, but it does not have the right image.
When people think of Bangladesh, they think of poverty, flood and micro credit. This is the
image most foreigners see on their television screens. The Bangladesh government has
traditionally pushed the sad image of Bangladesh in the media. Who wants to visit a poor, flood
stricken and thereby depressing place? Thus it is the time to take initiatives to change the
perceptions of people about Bangladesh.
7.1Tourism:
Bangladesh
Friendly
People
Over
Population
Rich in Natural
Beauty
Politically
Disturbed
Poverty
Load
shedding
Corruption
Traffic
Congestion

27
Tourism is often synonymous to traveling for pleasure and education. It is also a business of
attracting tourists and providing for their accommodation and entertainment. In many countries,
tourism is an industry for earning Inland Revenue and foreign exchange. The many businesses
that grow along withdevelopment of tourism include airlines, shipping, hotels and restaurants,
finance companies, tour operators, travel agents, car rental firms, caterers and retail
establishments and together, they contribute significantly to the overall development of a
country's economy and to its cultural diversification and assimilation. Bangladesh had always
attracted tourists. Travelers from different parts of the world had interest in this part of the world
since very ancient times. They visited Bengal with varied purposes. Some came with missionary
objectives, some with motives of exploring business opportunities; some came to attend seats of
learning and some for meeting curiosity.
Bangladesh is one of the few countries in South Asia, which remains to be explored. Bangladesh
has a delicate and distinctive attraction of its own to offer. The traditional emphasis of the tourist
trade has always been on the material facilities offered by a country rather than on its actual
charms. It's a land of enormous beauty, hundreds of serpentine rivers, crystal clear water lakes
surrounded by ever green hills, luxuriant tropical rain forests, world's largest mangrove forest
preserved as World Heritage, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger and the wild lives, wind in the
paddy fields, abundance of sunshine, world's longest natural sea beach etc.
Country branding means the earning of reputation for a country by utilizing its inner resources
and opportunities, which are original and inspiring to the outer world. The official brand name of
our beloved country is ―Beautiful Bangladesh‖. The goal is to establish a positive image of our
country and attract foreign tourists to visit its panoramic landscapes, seascapes and the natural
beauties. There is a great opportunity to brand this country, which can be done through attracting
foreigners to the tourist spots -- Cox's Bazar, the Sundarbans, Jaflong, Kuakata, and historical
sites like Bagerhat, Sonargaon, Moynamoti, Mahasthangar etc.

28
Tourism in Bangladesh is a slowly developing foreign currency earner. Since the year 2000
tourists arriving in Bangladesh have been swelling in numbers. Not only is it international
visitors but locals are also taking their holidays. All these travelers require appropriate
accommodation and the demand in hotel beds and restaurants are now being met for every taste
and every budget. Many of the visitors are expatriate Bangladeshi coming to Bangladesh not
only to visit their families, but for a holiday and to experience the vibrant and culturally rich
country of their forbearers. Catering for all these people has seen an increase in the demand for
new hotels and restaurants in Dhaka and other tourist locations.
7.2The tourist spots of Bangladesh that the native people and international
visitors have visited or want to visit in future:
In terms of the TOM (Top of Mind), Cox‘s Bazar is found to take the first position by 11(73.3%)
native people that they have visited or want to visit in future. It is followed by Saint Martin
(13.3%), Bandarban (6.7%) and Kaptai (6.7%). (Appendix: Table.6). However, when all the
tourist spots are ranked based on first three recognitions, it is also found that Cox‘s Bazar is
observed in first position by 34.1% of the native people followed by Saint Martin (19.5%),
Sundarbans (9.8%), Kuakata (9.8%), Rangamati (7.3%), Bandarban (4.9%) and Mahasthangarh
(4.9%). (Chart 3)
34.1
19.5
9.8 9.8 7.3 4.9 4.9
2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Chart 3 :Tourist spots that Native people of Bangladesh
visited or want to visit in future

29
In terms of the TOM (Top of Mind), Cox‘s Bazar is found to take the first position by 12(80.0%)
foreigners that they have visited or want to visit in future. It is followed by Sundarbans (6.7%),
Sonargoan (6.7%) and Chittagong Hill Tracks (6.7%) (Appendix: Table.6)
However, when all the tourist spots are ranked based on first four recognitions, it is also found
that Cox‘s Bazar is observed in first position by 46.9% of the foreigners that is followed by
Sundarban (21.9%), Sonargoan (6.3%), Old Dhaka (6.3%), Chittagong Hill Tracks (6.3%),
Rangamati (3.1%), Kuakata (3.1%), Sylhet (3.1%) and Bandarban (3.1%). (Chart 4)
7.3 The important tourist spots of Bangladesh:
When it is asked which of the tourist spots can be the face of Bangladesh, it is found that 60% of
the native respondents said that Cox‘s Bazar could be the face of Bangladesh followed by
Sundarbans (33.3%) and Bandarbans (6.7%). (Chart 5 and appendix Table: 8).
46.9
21.9
6.3 6.3 6.3 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1
Chart 4:The Tourist Spots that the foreigners have
Visited or Wants to Visit

30
The findings are almost same in the case of foreigners. When the question is asked to them they
said that Cox‘s Bazar (81%) could be the face of Bangladesh followed by Sundarban (13%) and
Bagerhat (6%). (Chart 6 and appendix Table: 9)
7.3.1Cox's Bazar:
Total Area: 2491.86 sq. km
Population: About 2.2 million
Cox‘s Bazar is Located at a distance of 152 km. to the south of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar is
the tourist capital of Bangladesh. Having the world's longest unbroken (120 km.) beach
sloping gently down to the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal against the picturesque
background of a chain of hill covered with deep green forests, Cox's Bazar is one of the most
attractive tourist spots in the world. Miles of golden sands, towering cliffs surfing waves, rare
conch shells, colorful pagodas, Buddhist temples and tribes, delightful seafood - these are
specialties of Cox's Bazar.
81%
13%
6%
Chart 6: Name of the Tourist Spot
which can be the face of Bangladesh
stated by foreigners
Cox’s Bazar
Sundarban
Bagerhat
Cox’s Bazar Sundarban Bandarban
60
33.3
6.7
Chart 5:Name of the Tourist Spot
which can be the face of Bangladesh
stated by native people

31
The beach is good for bathing, sunbathing and swimming. The breath-taking beauty of the
sun-setting behind the waves of the sea is captivating. Attractive local variety of cigars
and handloom products of the Rakhyne tribal families are good buys. Their unique
customs and costumes attract visitors.
7.3.2Sundarban:
The Sundarbanis the largest single block of tidal mangrove forest in the world. The name
Sundarbancan be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali
language (Sundar, "beautiful" and ban, "forest" or "jungle"). The name may have been derived
from the Sundari trees that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers. Alternatively, it has been
proposed that the name is a corruption of Samudraban(Bengali: Shomudrobôn"Sea
Forest") or Chandra-bandhe (name of a primitive tribe). But the generally accepted view is the
one associated with Sundari trees.
The forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the confluence of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The
seasonally-flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests
on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,000 sq.km. of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh.It
became inscribed as a UNESCOworld heritage site in 1997, but while the Bangladeshi and
Indian portions constitute the same continuous ecotope, these are separately listed in the
UNESCOworld heritage list as the Sundarbans and Sundarbans National Park, respectively. The
Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands
of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the eponymousRoyal Bengal
Tiger(Pantheratigristigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer,
crocodiles and snakes. The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for
centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few
enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, together with the Sundarbans mangroves,
are important habitat for the endangered tiger.

32
7.3.3Saint Martin:
Saint Martin‘s island is situated in the southeast of Bangladesh on The Bay of Bengal. From the
main land it is 9-10 km far. It is almost 7 km long including "CheraDweep". CheraDweep is
another attraction of this island. This a torn part of this island but exclusively beautiful. "Chera"
means Torn and "Dweep" means Island. The underwater colorful fishes and live corals entertain
the tourist in CheraDweep.
Local name of this island is "NarikelGingira" means Coconut Island. The total island is
surrounded by thousands of coconut trees. The northern part of the island is the mostly populated
area and all the hotels, motels and restaurants are there in the northern part. On the other hand
southern of the island is almost blank.
It has become one of the most popular tourist places in Bangladesh. October to March is
considered as tourists‘ season. Tourists are being attracted for its natural beauty.
Black dead corals are all around the island in the beach. When the water level get down then the
corals come out and show its beauty. The coconut trees of this island made the island exclusively
beautiful. These coconut trees save the island from cyclones.
Tortoises are there in the island and lay eggs in the island. To protect those eggs from destruction
there is a research center in the middle of the island. Researchers come and stay there during the
period when tortoises lay eggs.
The people of the island are very hospitable. They are very simple and very well mannered. They
are very cordial to the tourists. Most of the Italian restaurants and motels are being operated by
the people of the island. They do business during the tourists‘ season.
In the island there are different souvenir shop there tourists get souvenirs made of corals and
snails. These souvenirs are very beautiful and tourists collect these souvenirs for their friends and
hold it as memory of this island.
During tourist season there is a kite festival arranged and different types of kite are made and fly
in the sky. This kite festival is very colorful and it‘s a traditional festival of Bangladesh.

33
Tourist enjoys the sunrise and the sunset in the island. At the most southern part of the island is
the best location to enjoy the sunset.
7.3.4 Rangamati - the lake district:
Rangamati, located 77 km. away from Chittagong, is a favorite holiday resort because of its
beautiful landscape, lake, numerous colorful tribes, hanging bridge, homespun textile products,
ivory jewellery, and tribal museum and so on. For tourists the attractions are fishing, speedboat
cruising, water skiing, bathing and much more. It is a rare spot for ecotourism. The township is
located on the western bank of Kaptai Lake.
7.3.5 Kaptai -The lake town:
A pleasant and picturesque drive of 64 km. from Chittagong brings the tourists to a huge expanse
of emerald and blue water ringed by tropical forests. It is the famous man-made Kaptai Lake
(680 sq. km.). From Kaptai along the Chittagong road, lies the ancient Chit Morang Buddhist
temple having beautiful Buddhist statues.
7.3.6Bandarban -The roof of Bangladesh:
Bandarban, the district headquarters of the Bandarban Hill District, is situated ninety-two km.
from Chittagong. Bandarban Hill District is the remotest and least populated district in
Bangladesh. The lure of the tallest peaks of Bangladesh, treks through virgin forests and chance
to meet more than 15 tribes of the region up close is growing both among Bangladeshis and
tourists from other countries. Since the insurgency ceased in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (a cluster
that includes all three hill districts of Bangladesh) it has opened up for tourists more than a
decade back, though some of the western tourist guides may still describe the area as a major
security risk.

34
The three highest peak of Bangladesh - Tahjindong (1280 meters, also known as bijoy),
MowdokMual (1052 meters), and Keokradong (883 metres) - are located in Bandarban district,
as well as Raikhiang Lake, the highest lake in Bangladesh. Chimbuk peak and Boga Lake are
two more highly noted features of the district. Though most Bangladesh sources cite Keokradong
as the highest peak in the country, but Tazing Dong (sometimes spelled as Tahjingdong, and also
known as Bijoy) lying further east is recognized both by government and expert sources as a
taller peak.
7.3.7Kuakata:
Kuakata, situated in the district of Patuakhali, is a wonderful picturesque spot. The 25 KM long
sea beach situated at the periphery of the southern part of Patuakhali is a potential tourist resort.
It provides aunique opportunity to witness both sun rise and sun set.
The local Rakhainpopulation has rich cultural tradition and their hospitality is well known. The
200 acres dense forest gives the beach a pleasant look and it serves as a wall against tidal bore. A
Buddhist pagoda is located at the sea-shore and a Buddhist statue weighing over 1.5 metric tons
is preserved inside the Pagoda.
Kuakata, locally known as SagarKannya (Daughter of the Sea) is a rare scenic beauty spot on the
southernmost tip of Bangladesh. Kuakata in Latachapli union under Kalapara Police Station of
Patuakhali district is about 30 km in length and 6 km in breadth. It is 70 km from Patuakhali
district headquarters and 320 km from Dhaka. At Kuakata excellent combination of the
picturesque natural beauty, sandy beach, blue sky, huge expanse of water of the Bay and
evergreen forest in really eye-catching.
Kuakata is one of the rarest places which have the unique beauty of offering the full view of the
rising and setting of crimson sun in the water of the Bay of Bengal in a calm environment. That
perhaps makes kuakata one of the world's unique beaches. The long and wide beach at Kuakata
has a typical natural setting. This sandy beach has gentle slopes into the Bay of Bengal and
bathing there is as pleasant as is walking or diving. Kuakata is truly a virgin beach-a sanctuary
for migratory winter birds, a series of coconut trees, sandy beach of blue Bay, a feast for the eye.

35
Forest, boats plying in the Bay of Bengal with colourful sails, fishing, towering cliffs, surfing
waves everything here touches every visitor's heart. The unique customs and costumes of the
'Rakhyne' tribal families and Buddhist Temple of about hundred years old indicate the ancient
tradition and cultural heritage, which are objects of great pleasure Kuakata is the place of
pilgrimage of the Hindus and Buddhist communities. Innumerable devotees arrive here at the
festival of 'Rush Purnima' and 'MaghiPurnima'. On these two days they take holy bath and
traditional fairs are held here. All these additional offers to panoramic beauty make the beach
more attractive to the visitors.
7.3.8Tamabil&Jaflong:
Situated amidst splendid panorama, Tamabil is a border outpost on Sylhet-Shilong road,
about 55 km. away from Sylhet town. Beside enchanting views of the area one can also have
a glimpse of the waterfall across the border from Tamabil. Jaflong is also a scenic spot
nearby amidst tea gardens and rare beauty of rolling stones from hills.
7.3.9Mainamati:
An isolated low, dimpled range of hills, dotted -with more than 50 ancient Buddhist
settlements of the 8th to 12th century A.D. known as Mainamati-Laimai range are extended
through the centre of the district of Comilla.
The Mainamati site Museum has a rich and varied collection of copper plates, gold and silver
coins and 86 bronze objects. Over 150 bronze statues have been recovered mostly from the
monastic cells, bronze stupas, stone sculptures and hundreds of terracotta plaques each
measuring on an average of 9" higli and 8" to 12" wide. Mairiamati is only 114 km. from
Dhaka City and is just a day's trip by road on way to Chittagong.

36
7.3.10Teknaf:
Southernmost tip of Bangladesh, Teknaf situated on the NaafRiver and just at the end of the
hilly regions of the district. Mayanmar is on the opposite bank of NaafRiver. Wild animals
and birds are available but the most interesting thing is a journey on the river. Wide sandy
beach in the backdrop of high hills with green forests is an enchanting scene never to be
forgotten.
7.3.11Mahasthangarh:
Located at a distance of 18 km. to the north of Bogra town.Mahasthangarh is the oldest
archaeological site of Bangladesh on the western bank of river Karotoa. The spectacular site
is an imposing landmark in the area having a fortified long enclosure. Beyond the fortified
area, other ancient ruins fan out within a semi-circle of about 8-km. radius. Several isolated
mounds, the local names of which are GovindaBhita Temple, KhodaiPathar Mound,
MankalirKunda, ParasuramerBedi, JiyatKunda etc. surround the fortified city.
Besides, there are several attractive tourist spots in the various parts of Bangladesh. In the
northern part, comprising of the Rajshahi division, there are archaeological sites, including the
temple city Puthia in Rajshahi; the largest and most ancient archaeological site, Mahasthangarh
in Bogra; the single largest Buddhist monastery, Paharpur in Naogaon; the most ornamental
terracota Hindu temple in Bangladesh Kantaji Temple, and many rajbaris or palaces of old
zamindars.
In the south-western part, mainly the Khulna Division, there is the historically and architecturally
important sixty domed mosque in Bagerhat is a notable site.
In the south-eastern part, which is the Chittagong division, there are mainly natural and hilly
scenarios like Chittagong Hill Tracts, along with sandy sea beaches.

37
In the north-eastern part, Sylhet division, there is a green carpet of tea plants on small hillocks.
Natural reserved forests are great attractions. Migratory birds in winter, particularly in the haor
areas, are also very attractive in this area.
7.4Tourism Word Associations:
Chart 7 shows the adjectives that are most commonly associated with the experience of visiting
Bangladesh. Bangladesh is most associated with the positive attributes of fascinating (42.0%),
exciting (31.0%). Although some view the visit in Bangladesh are stressful (15.0%) and Risky
(12.5%). But overall Bangladesh is not seen as a stressful or depressing destination and most of
the respondents described the visit as fascinating and exciting. (Appendix: Table 10)
7.5Total Tourist Arrivals in Bangladesh:
The following table shows the tourist arrivals in Bangladesh in different years and the rate of
growth of the same:
42%
31%
15%
12%
Chart 7: Adjective that best describes the
visit in Bangladesh
Fascinating
Exciting
Stressful
Risky

38
Table: Year-Wise Total Tourist Arrivals in Bangladesh
Year Tourist Arrivals
Number Growth Rate (%)
1991 113242
1992 110475 (-) 2.44
1993 126785 (+) 14.76
1994 140122 (+) 10.52
1995 156231 (+) 11.50
1996 165887 (+) 6.18
1997 182420 (+) 9.97
1998 171961 (-) 5.73
1999 172781 (+) 0.48
2000 199211 (+) 15.30
2001 207199 (+) 4.01
2002 207246 (+) 0.02
2003 244509 (+) 17.98
2004 271270 (+) 10.94
Average Growth Rate +8.73 %
Source: Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation
The table shows that the number of tourist arrivals in Bangladesh has increased to 271,270 in
2004 from 113,242 in 1991 which shows an average annual growth rate of 7.79 percent. The
tourist arrivals increased in 2003 by 17.98 percent and 10.94 percent in 2004 over its preceding
year. In general, the statistics shows a very good and positive trend.
7.6Steps should be taken to improve tourism in Bangladesh:
Chart 8 reveals that improvement of hotel and transportation system is ranked first by 31.0% of
the native respondents followed by increase security (28%), promotional activity (28%) and
make tourist friendly environment (8.0%). (Appendix: Table 11)

39
On the other hand Chart 9 reveals that increase promotional activities to create awareness about
the tourist spots of Bangladesh and increase security are ranked first by 29.4% of the foreigners
respectively that are followed by improvement of hotel and transportation systems (14.7%)
religious and cultural liberty (11.8%) , ensuring neatness (8.8%) and create tourist friendly
environment (5.9%). (Appendix: Table 12)
31%
28%
28%
8%
2% 3%
Chart 8 : Steps should be taken to improve tourism in
Bangladeshaccording to the opinions of Native People
Improve Hotel &
Transportation System
Increase Security
Promotional Activity
Make Tourist Friendly
Environment
Eco Tourism
29.4 29.4
14.7
8.8 11.8
5.9
Chart 9: Steps should be taken to improve tourism in
Bangladesh according to the opinions of Foreigners

40
7.7Recommendation:
As tourism is one of the main possible sectors to enhance the image of Bangladesh. So, to
improve the tourism of Bangladesh the following steps should be implemented.
Improvement in the security systems of the tourist spots is given the most importance by
both the native people and foreigners.
Improvement in the hotel and transportation systems should givenpriority for the
improvement of the tourism sector.
One of the main obstacles for the improvement of tourism sector is that the foreigners are
not aware of the tourist spots of Bangladesh. Promotional activities can improve the
situation by creating awareness of the tourist spots. For this reason, like India,
internationally famous celebrities and spokespersons should use in the promotional
campaign. Cricket World Cup 2011 will be inaugurated in Bangladesh. T-20 will be held
in Bangladesh in 2013. On these occasions, many foreigners will come here. We should
utilize these opportunities and these can be the platform for promoting the tourism of
Bangladesh.
The website of the Bangladesh Porjatan Corporation should be developed and up to date.
As the website promotes the slogan of ―discover Beautiful Bangladesh‖, the information
provided in this website is not sufficient. It should narrate all the important information
as well the low cost of travelling in Bangladesh.
Having an international airport in Cox‘s Bazar will ensure that foreigners can fly there
directly without having to go through Dhaka. Besides, hotel and transportation systems
should be developed to meet the taste and income ofevery tourist. Cox‘s Bazar can be
branded as other international cities such as like Bali, Goa etc. Separate entertainment
policy may be formulated so that a strong PPP can be implemented.
The religious and cultural liberty should be ensured for the foreigner tourists.
Ecotourism in Bangladesh should be introduced. Ecotourism refers to tourism that is
based on the natural environment but that seeks to minimise the harmful impacts and
better still, seeks to promote conservation. It focuses on local cultures, wilderness
adventures, volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on our

41
vulnerable planet. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the adverse
effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural
integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural
factors, initiatives by hospitality providers to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water
re-use, and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities are an integral
part of ecotourism.
Participate in international tourism fairs.
Govt support to the private tour operators is necessary for the development of this sector.

42
8.1Culture & Heritage:
Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes,
meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe,
and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations
through individual and group striving.
Each living life is attached in culture whether humans or animals. Culture is natural development
during birth process {what we call is behavior, that changes from individual to individual
broadened when lives in family that family is part of a society (group or community), behavior
of the group is culture} and its evolution is based on intelligence reaction to experiences and
needs.
Culture is process to live in group. Each society has norms to follow by individuals in order to
retain society strong and intact.Culture is a process for identity of living creatures and cultural
evolution raises the identity of society, benefit goes to its individuals. Culture differentiates from
group to group (as behavior changes) though major part remains same as human culture to
differentiate from other species. This gives different identity.
For society‘s culture there is one individual behind who broadens or establishes the cultural
status. Culture developed by beliefs, faith, practices, customs, way to live, art, intelligence,
language, food habits, and economyetc; Cultural growth gave identity to the societies that
named, Muslim or Christian or Hindu or Jewish or Buddhist etc; have different cultures. So
when we come across art, customs etc; we identify what is their culture or which religion they
belong.
Culture influences many aspects of our life, private and public, from foreign affairs to love
affairs. It certainly influences various factors that on various levels and through separate
mechanisms contribute to create a phenomenon known as nation branding.

43
Anholt regards culture in triple role:
 Source of value,
 Communicator of value and
 Revenue earner.
He argues that culture provides or even constitutes the ―third dimension‖. In other words, he
claims nation branding is all about the culture as without it the arena shrinks and fades to
resemble merely a ‗normal‘ commercial branding. He also calls for focusing on culture in
country promotion and opposes the relegated status of culture as ‗not-for-profit activity, kind of
charitable obligation within the overall promotion of a country‘.
Cultural aspects measured are perceptions of a country‘s heritage, its contemporary cultural
―vibes‖ from music, films, art and literature, as well as the country‘s excellence in sports.
Various cultural activities are presented to respondents to gauge their strongest images of a
country‘s cultural ―product.‖
8.2 Culture of Bangladesh:
Bangladesh has a rich, diverse culture. Its deeply rooted heritage is thoroughly reflected in its
architecture, dance, literature, music, painting and clothing. The three primary religions of
Bangladesh (Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) have had a great influence on its culture and
history.
The people of Bangladesh have a rich fictional legacy, with the first available form of literature
being over a thousand years old. Bengali literature developed considerably during the medieval
period with the rise of popular poets such as Chandi Das, DaulatKazi an Alaol.
The traditional music of Bangladesh is very much the same as that of the Indian sub-continent.
The music in Bangladesh can be divided into three main categories: classical, modern and folk.
Most prevalent of folk songs and music traditions include Bhatiali, Baul, Marfati, Murshidi and

44
Bhawaiya. Lyricists like Lalon Shah, Hason Raja, KangalHarinath, Romesh Shill, Abbas Uddin
and many unknown anonymous lyrists have enriched the tradition of folk songs of Bangladesh.
In relatively modern context, RabindraSangeet and Nazrulgeeti form precious cultural heritage of
Bangladesh.Both vocal and instrumental classical music is enjoyed in Bangladesh. UstadAyet
Ali Khan and UstadAlauddin are two famous classical instrumental players that are
internationally known. Modern music is becoming more popular and is practiced widely.
Contemporary, pop songs and bands are also enjoying more widespread fame.
Several musical instruments, some of them of indigenous origin, are used in Bangladesh, and
major musical instruments used are bamboo flute (banshi), drums (dole), a single stringed
instrument named ektara, a four stringed instrument called dotara, a pair of metal bawls used for
rhythm effect called mandira. Currently, several musical instruments of western origin like
guitar, drums, and saxophone are also used, sometimes alongside the traditional instruments.
Tribal dances are very popular among the Bangladeshis. The countryside girls are in the habit of
dancing to popular folk music. Their dances require no regulations as such, just a small amount
of courage and a big amount of rhythm. Popular songs like Shari and Jari are presented with the
accompanying dance of both male and female performers.
Drama and theatre is an old tradition that is very popular in Bangladesh. More than a dozen
theater groups in Dhaka City have been regularly staging locally written plays for hundreds of
years. Many have also started adopted some plays from European writers. Baily Road in Dhaka
is known as ―Natak Para‖ and this is one location where drama shows are regularly held. Many
shows are also held at the Dhaka University.
Another important aspect of the culture of Bangladesh is clothing. Bangladeshi woman usually
wear Saris, made of the world famous and expensive, finely embroidered quilted patchwork
cloth produced by the village woman. Woman will traditionally wear their hair in a twisted bun,
which is called the ―Beni style‖. Hindus will traditionally wear Dhuty for religious purposes.
These days most men of Bangladesh wear shirts and pants.

45
Bangladeshhas a history. The land, the rivers and the lives of the common people formed a rich
heritage with marked differences from neighboring regions. It has evolved over the centuries and
encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh.
8.3Festivals and celebrations:
Festivals and celebrations are integral part of the culture of Bangladesh. Prominent and widely
celebrated festivals are PohelaBaishakh,Language Movement Day, Independence day, National
Mourning Day, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram, and Durga puja.
8.3.1 PohelaBoishakh:
PohelaBoishakh is the first day of the Bangla Calendar. It is the festival that is celebrated by the
people of all religions. In today's Bangladesh, the festival is gaining prominence, which is not
related to religion. It is observed with great enthusiasm on the first day of Baisakh. Its main
characteristic is that it is a social festival and its appeal is universal.
It is usually celebrated on the 14th of April. PohelaBoishakh marks the start day of the crop
season. The most colorful New Year's Day festival takes place in Dhaka. Large numbers of
people gather early in the morning under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists
open the day with Rabindranath Tagore's famous song, Esho, he Boishakh, EshoEsho.
Social and cultural organizations celebrate the day with cultural programs. Newspapers bring out
special supplements. There are also special programs on radio and television.Prior to this day,
special discounts on clothes, furniture, electronics and various deals and shopping discounts are
available. Special line of sarees, usually cottons, and white sarees with red print/embroidery is
sold before this day as everyone dresses up for this day. Jasmine flowers are also a huge sale for
this event which adorns the women's hair.
Most colorful daylong gatherings along with arrangement of cultural program and traditional
Pantaat Ramna Park, Dhaka are a special feature of PahelaBaishakh. Tournaments, boat races
etc. are held in cities and villages amidst great jubilation. Many fairs are held in Dhaka and
other towns and villages.

46
The Halkhata function, observed mainly by the merchant community, is still in vogue on the
occasion of PahelaBaisakh. The merchants complete their accounts of the previous year on the
eve or New Year's Day. On this day, the customers pay some advance and the merchants treat
them with sweetmeats. There are some who prepare better quality food, including sweetmeats,
on the occasion of the New Year's Day.
8.3.2Language Movement Day:
Language Movement Day is a unique part of the culture of Bangladesh. Every year on February
21 this day is observed to pay tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to establish
Bengali as the official language of then East Pakistan in 1952. The mood of the day is sad and
humble.
The celebration of Language Movement Day goes on the entire month of February. Ekushey
Book Fair is a book fair arranged to mark this occasion every year. The fair has also become an
integral part of the culture of Bangladesh. Authors and readers in Bangladesh eagerly await the
fair each year.
To honor this movement, ShaheedMinar, a symbolic sculpture, was erected in the place of the
massacre. Today the ShaheedMinar is the centre of cultural activities in Dhaka. On the morning
of February 21 each year, people from all walks of life including the national leaders pay tribute
to the martyrs by leaving flowers at ShaheedMinar. A very melodious and melancholy song,
Amar BhaierRokteRangano, written by Abdul GaffarChoudhury and composed by Altaf
Mahmud, is played repeatedly in electronic media and cultural gatherings throughout the month,
and especially on February 21. This song, too, has become a symbolic mark of culture of
Bangladesh. In 1999, UNESCO declared the day as ‗International Mother Language Day‘ and is
observed the day though out the world.
8.3.3 Independence Day:
One of the main state festivals in Bangladesh is ‗Independence Day.‘ The day is observed on 26
March in every year. In this day in 1971,Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman declared the
independence of Bangladesh. In this day,the country wears a celebratory look especially in

47
capital city and other major cities of the country. People from all corners of the society including
government leaders, socio-political organizations and freedom fighters place, cultural
organizations, students, intellectuals, journalists, Head of the foreign missions, floral wreaths at
the National Martyrs Monument at Savar. Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
and other socio-cultural organizations hold cultural functions, discussions, meetings,
tournaments all over the country. For a dazzling look, all public and private buildings and
establishments are illuminated.
8.3.4Victory Day:
Another important state-festival is observed on 16 December in every year as the ‗Victory Day‘
of the country. Different programs are initiated on this day like the ‗Independence Day‘ through
out the country. The commander of the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered on 16 December
1971 at SuhrawardyUddayan formerly known as the Race Course Maiden in Dhaka and
Bangladesh became as an independent country.
8.3.5Eidul-Fitr:
As the most important religious festival for the majority Muslims, the celebration of Eidul-Fitr
has become a part of the culture of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh declares holiday
for three days on Eid-ulFitr. People living in towns having their families or parents in villages go
to their villages to meet relatives and celebrate the festival together.
Adult Muslim males in Bangladesh assemble at the EidGhah for prayer in the morning of the Eid
day. On Eid day, Eid prayers are held all over the country, in open areas like fields or else inside
mosques. In Dhaka, the largest Eid prayer is held at the national Eidgah. The biggest
congregation of Bangladesh is held at Sholakia in Kishoreganj, where about half a million people
join the Eid prayer. After the Eid prayers, people return home, visit each other's home and eat
sweet dishes called Shirni. Throughout the day gentlemen embrace each other. It is also
customary for junior members of the society to touch the feet of the seniors, and seniors
returning blessings (sometimes with a small sum of money as a gift).Eidul-Azha:

48
The celebration of Eidul-Adha is similar to Eidul-Fitar in many ways. The only big difference is
the Qurbanior sacrifice of domestic animals on Eidul-Azha. Numerous temporary marketplaces
of different sizes called Haatoperate in the big cities for sale of Qurbani animals (usually cows
and goats).
In the morning on the Eid day, immediately after the prayer, those who can afford to slaughter
their animal of choice. Less affluent people also take part in the festivity by visiting houses of the
affluent who are taking part in Qurbani. After the Qurbani a large portion of the meat is given to
the poor people.
8.3.6Eid-e-Miladunnabi:
Eid-e-Miladunnabi is the birth and death anniversary of the great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (s)
which is very important day to the Muslim community. He was born and died the same day on
12th RabiulAwal (Lunar Month). The Muslim community offers special prayers, miladmahfils,
munajats and the discussions are arranged on the Islamic ideals, way of life and teaching of the
prophet (s). The day is national a holiday.
8.3.7Muharram:
The Day is observed through a ceremonial mournful procession of Muslim community which is
observed in 10th Muharram in (Arabic month) in memory of the awful martyrdom of Imam
Hussain (RA) on this day at Karbala in Iraq.
8.3.8BishwaIstima:
A three-day long biggest congregation during December-January is held in every year at Tongi,
Gazipur near the capital city Dhaka. It is the second biggest Muslim gathering in the world
followed by the Holy Hazz at Mecca. About 15 to 20 lakh Muslim devotees from the different
part of the world gather there and hold the discussion on the ideal of Muslim, the way of life
directed by the great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (s), offer a special prayer for the peace of
Muslim Ummah as well as for the well-being of the world at the end of the congregation.

49
8.3.9Rabindra and NazrulJayanti:
Birth anniversary of the noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore on 25th Baishakh (7 May) and same
of the National Poet KaziNazrul Islam on 11th Jaystha (25 May) are observed throughout the
country. Different cultural programs are arranged and discussions are held on those occasions.
8.3.10Durga Puja:
The Hindu community observe their biggest religious festival popularly known as Durga Puja
through out the country for ten days and the last three days being culmination with the idol
immersed in rivers. Another very attractive festival of Hindu community which is known as
LangalbandhMela is observed by them every year near Sonargaon on the last day of Chaittra
(last Bengali month).
8.3.11Christmas:
The main festival of Christmas community popularly known as "Bara Din (Christmas Day)‖ is
celebrated in 25th
December including illumination of churches, decorating Christmas tree and
other Christian festivities and it is also a govt holiday. Several day-long large gatherings are held
at St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Portuguese Church at Tejgaon, Church of Bangladesh
(Protestant) on Johnson Road and Bangladesh Baptist Sangha at Sadarghat Dhaka.
8.3.12Buddha Purnima:
The main and important religious festival of Buddhist community is observed through out the
country. They also celebrate BaishakhiPurnima and MaghiPurnimathrough out the country. In
addition to that, various other festivals are habitually observed by Bangalees all the year round.
8.3.13 PohelaFalgun and Valentine Day:
Thousands of young people, both male and female, are taking part in the twin celebrations of
PahelaFalgun[The first day of Spring according to Bangla calender] and Valentine‘s
Daywelcoming the advent of spring and sharing the great day of love.
The youngsters celebrate the occasions wearing colorful dresses, carrying flowers in their hands
and singing love songs as well as spring songs.

50
People of the country wait eagerly all the year for spring festival with new hopes and aspirations.
Spring is the most attractive season of the year and girls welcome the arrival of spring in
PahelaFalgunwearing yellow saris.
PahelaFalgun, the first day of the Bangla month of Falgun, marks the beginning of ‗Bashanta‘,
the spring season in the country and it has special significance in the Bangladeshi culture.
The ‗BashantaUtshab‘ attracts a section of urban people, particularly university students with its
vibrant colors.
Around 50,000 visitors come to enjoy this colorful event each year. Folk dances, folk music,
recitations and rallies throughout the premises of the University of Dhaka are carried out as part
of the BashantaUtshab. The surrounding area turned into Bashanti (yellow) color with almost
everyone turning up in yellow sarees, kameezes, or panjabees. Some of them even painted their
faces to make the day yet more colorful.
8.3.14LalonMela:
FokirLalon Shah, a prominent philosopher poet in the cultural history of Bangladesh, established
a distinctive tradition of philosophical thoughts through his thousands of songs and
compositions. This legendary figure was born on 1774 CE and died on 1890, leaving
controversial issues regarding his identity. He lived in the village Cheuria at Nodia of British-
India era and Kushtia district of present Bangladesh. He is called as the BaulShamrat (the
Emperor of Bauls) for his distinctive views about life which denies the concrete affairs of the
search of ecstasy of human soul. His own vision on human life has become the fundamental in
developing Baul thoughts among the Bauls in this arena of the world.
Every year, on the first week of April, a fair is organized on the eve of his birth anniversary at
Kushtia. The akhra (the place where Lalon lived) is decorated colorfully during this occasion and
thousands of his devotees from different places of the country gather here to celebrate the day.
Singers of Lalon Academy with ektara and other musical instrument, perform Lalon‘s song all
through the night for three days. Several crowds of Baul sit at different places of the Akhra.

51
Among the Bauls, Fakir Humayun Shah is the prominent one. Lots of people join the crowd to
enjoy the song of Lalon from Humayun‘s and his devotees‘ voice. On this day, the place
becomes a gathering of Lalon‘s devotees who remember him practicing his philosophical
thoughts and performing his thousands of compositions.
8.3.15Weddings:
Bengali weddings are traditionally in five parts: first it is the bride and groom's
MehendiShondha,the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's Gaye Holud, the Beeya and the BouBhaat.
These often take place on separate days. The first event in a wedding is an informal one: the
groom presents the bride with a ring marking the "engagement" which is gaining popularity.
For the mehendishondha the bride's side apply henna to each other as well as the bride For the
bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's family - except the groom himself - go in procession to the
bride's home. Bride's friends and family apply turmeric paste to her body as a part of Gaye
Holudof bride, and they are traditionally all in matching clothes, mostly orange in color.
The actual wedding ceremony "Beeye" follows the Gaye Holud ceremonies. The wedding
ceremony is arranged by the bride's family. On the day, the younger members of the bride's
family barricade the entrance to the venue, and demand a sort of admission charge from the
groom in return for allowing him to enter. The bride and groom are seated separately, and a Kazi
(authorized person by the govt. to perform the wedding), accompanied by the parents and a
Wakil(witness) from each side formally asks the bride for her consent to the union, and then the
groom for his consent.
The reception, also known as Bou-Bhaat (reception), is a party given by the groom's family in
return for the wedding party. It is typically a much more relaxed affair, with only the second-best
wedding outfit being worn.
8.3.16JabbarerBoliKhela:

52
Boli is a traditional form of wrestling in Bangladesh, particularly popular in the Chittagong area.
Boli means a powerful person in Bengali, while Khela denotes a game. It is particularly played in
the month of Chaitra (March-April) of the Bangla CalendarThe present-day bolikhela was
introduced in 1909 by Abdul JabbarSaodagar.
8.3.17NobannoUtsab:
Nobanno is the festival of harvest in Bengal. The word translates as "New Rice". The festival
takes place in the month of Agrohayon or Aghranof the Bangla Calendar. Festivities include
making traditional cakes named "pitha".
'Nabanno,' the traditional annual event marking the harvest of new crops, was celebrated with
much fanfare across the country. In the capital, the University of Dhaka celebrations are held at
Bakultala at the Institute of Fine Arts on November 15. The
JatiyaNabannoUtshobUdjapanParishad has been taking steps to encourage NabannoUtshob in
Dhaka for the last twelve years. They arranged the daylong celebrations.
The festival included recitations, dance and folk songs, especially Jari and Sari with members of
several cultural organisations performing traditional dances. The country's leading artistes and
cultural organisations, including Udichi, KachiKancharMela, Khelaghar also took part.
8.4Cuisine of Bangladesh:
PantaIlish - a traditional platter of Pantabhat with fried Hilsa slice, supplemented with dried fish
(Shutki), pickles (Achar), dal, green chillies and onion - is a popular serving for the
PohelaBoishakh festival.
Bangladesh is famous for its distinctive culinary tradition, and delicious food, snacks and
savories. Boiled rice constitutes the staple food, and is served with a variety of vegetables, fried
as well as curries, thick lentil soups, and fish and meat preparations of beef, mutton and chicken.

53
Sweetmeats of Bangladesh are mostly milk based, and consist of several delights including
Roshgulla, Sandesh, Rasamalai, GulapJamun, KaloJamun, ChomChom. Several other sweet
preparations are also available.
Bengali cuisine is rich and varied with the use of many specialized spices and flavors.Fish is the
dominant source of protein. More than forty types of mostly freshwaterfish are common,
including carp varieties like rui (rohu), katla, magur (catfish), chingŗi(prawn or shrimp), as well
asshuţki (dried sea fish). Salt water fish (not sea fish though) Ilish (hilsailisha) is very popular
among Bengalis, can be called an icon of Bengali cuisine.
8.5Sports:
Football, cricketare most popular games in Bangladesh.Kabaddi is the national sport of
Bangladesh. Cricket is a game which has a massive and passionate following in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has joined the elite group of countries eligible to play Test cricket since 2000. The
Bangladesh national cricket team goes by the nickname of the Tigers—after the Royal Bengal
Tiger.
The cricketing culture is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. Following the liberation war
which ended in Bangladesh gaining independence in 1971, cricketing popularity has continued to
grow. Bangladesh most recently enjoyed a good run of form, defeating New Zealand 4-0 in a 5
match ODI series held in Mirpur, Dhaka. Bangladesh will also be one of the hosts of the 2011
Cricket World Cup. They currently hold 8th
spot in the ODI and 9th
spot in the Test ICC world
rankings.
8.6Culture Word Associations:
Chart 10 demonstrates that 63.6% of the native respondents associate Bangladesh withfestivals
while 31.8% of the respondents associate it with sports. Besides, 4.5% of the respondents
associate Bangladesh with music. (Appendix: Table 13)

54
On the other hand, Chart 11 reveals that 83.3% of the foreigners associate Bangladesh with
festivals while 11.1% of the respondents associate it with music. Besides, 5.6% of the
respondents associate Bangladesh with films. (Appendix: Table 14)
8.7Awareness of the cultural events celebrated in Bangladesh:
Chart 12 shows that 34% of the native respondentsstate that PohelaBaishakh is the cultural event
they have celebrated in Bangladesh followed by Amor Ekushe (32%), Eid (13%), and
PohelaFalgun (13%). (Appendix: Table 15).
Festivals
Sports
Music
63.6
31.8
4.5
Chart 10 :Perception of native people when they
think of the culture of Bangladesh
Festivals Music Films
83.3
11.1 5.6
Chart 11:Perception of foreigners' when they think of
the culture of Bangladesh

55
On the other hand, Chart 13 revealsthat 63.6% of the foreigners state that PohelaBaishakh is the
cultural event thay have celebrated in Bangladesh followed by Amor Ekushe (18.2%), Eid
(9.1%), and LalonMela (9.1%). (Appendix: Table 16).
34%
32%
13%
13%
2% 3% 3%
Chart 12:Cultural Events Celebrated in Bangladesh as
recognozed by native people
Pohela Baishakh
Amor Ekushe(International
Mother Language Day)
Eid
Pohela Falgun
Durga Puja
Valentine Day
Pohela
Baishakh
Amor Ekushe
(International
Mother
Language Day)
Eid Lalon Mela
63.6
18.2
9.1 9.1
Chart 13:Cultural Events Celebrated in Bangladesh
as recognized by foreigners

56
8.8Top three cultural events ranked by native people and foreigners:
When the respondents are asked to rank the top three cultural festivals of Bangladesh 33.3% of
the native respondents rank PohelaBaishakh as the top cultural festival of Bangladesh followed
by Amor Ekushe (26.7%) and PohelaFalgun (17.8%). (Chart 14 and Appendix: Table 17).
On the other hand, when the respondents are asked to rank the top three cultural festivals of
Bangladesh, 28% of the foreigner respondents rankPohelaBaishakh and International Mother
Language Day as the top cultural festivals of Bangladesh followed byChobiMela (17%) and Eid
(11%) and NobannoUtsab (11%). (Chart 15 and Appendix: Table 18).
33.3
26.7
17.8
6.7
4.4 4.4 4.4 2.2
Chart 14 :Top Three Cultural Festival of Bangladesh as
ranked by native people

57
8.9Recommendations:
The study found that foreigners were not much aware of the culture of Bangladesh. Most of the
respondents said that culture of Bangladesh was meant to them festivals and among all the
festivals most of them knew about PohelaBaishakh and Amor Ekushe (International Mother
Language Day). To create awareness about the culture of Bangladesh the following steps should
be taken:
 A special website can be launched that will contain the cultural information about
Bangladesh. Besides, the electronic and print media of Bangladesh can play a vital role to
promote the cultural events of Bangladesh.
 2011 world cup cricket can be a platform to promote the cultural events of Bangladesh.
As India positioned them as a cricket lover country in the world of cricket playing
country, Bangladesh can also position itself as the cricket loving nation.
 Bangladesh is a multi-faith religious country, or Bangladesh as a moderate Muslim
country with incredible communal harmony. All of the native respondents (100%) agree
that Bangladesh is a non-communal country (Chart 16 and Appendix: Table 19).
Although some foreigners believe that Bangladesh is not a non- communal country
(33%). (Chart 17 and Appendix: Table 20).
28%
28%
17%
11%
11%
5%
Chart 15:Top three Cultural Festival of Bangladesh as
ranked by foreigners
Pohela Baishakh
International Mother
Language Day
Chobi Mela
Eid
Nobanno Utsab
Ekushe Boi Mela

58
And it must not miss opportunities to present to the world the beauties of Islam and
communal harmony in our country while planning nation branding with an eye on 1.8
billion Muslims in the world. The TongiJamat, the second largest annual Islamic
congregation in the world, may also attract many millions of Muslims to visit our country
if only we could turn the whole area on the bank of the River Turag in Tongi into an
exclusive pilgrimage city with permanent facilities and amenities that are essential for
holding such a grand international congregation on yearly basis. A shopping mall
showcasing our prides and products may also be constructed at Tongi to attract Muslim
and non-Muslim tourists alike round the year.
67%
33%
Chart 17:Bangladesh is a Non -
Communal Country as stated by
foreigners
Yes
No
Yes No
100
0
Chart 16 :Bangladesh is a Non -
Communal Country as stated
by native people

59
According to Anholt, The general assessment of a people‘s friendliness is measured by whether
respondents would feel welcome when visiting the country. Additionally, the study measure the
appeal of the people on a personal level – whether respondents want to have a close friend from
the country – as well as human resources on a professional level, that is, how willing respondents
would be to hire a well-qualified person from that country.
The population of Bangladesh is 144.2 million in 2008-09. Population growth rate is 1.26%
Over 85% of the population is Muslims, less than 13% Hindus and the remaining are Christians,
Buddhists.The literacy rate of population 11 + years is 49.1 %.( Source: Bangladesh Economic
Review 2008-09). The population of our country has been regarded as a problem but we fail to
see that it is a country with 144.2 million consumers and 10 million more consumers coming
ahead in next five years. This is a positive indication to the business community. Currently 77%
of the population of our country is born after Liberation War and a significant number of them
are computer literate and educated which is definitely a good sign. They have high aspiration and
strong purchasing power. A large number of them can speak English as well. (Hasan, 2010)
Besides, vocational training can create opportunities for the self employment in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has a huge number of unskilled or semi skilled labor. Effective training of them can
open the door of earning foreign remittance, as the foreign remittance is one of the major sources
of earning of Bangladesh. In 2009-2010 the wage earners remittance inflows was 10987.40
million US dollar or 760109.59 million taka. (Table 21)

60
Table 21: Wage Earners Remittance Inflows (Yearly)
Year/Month Remittances
In million US dollar In million Taka
2010-2011* 2658.94 184760.40
2009-2010 10987.40 760109.59
2008-2009 9689.26 666758.50
2007-2008 7914.78 542951.40
2006-2007 5998.47 412985.29
2005-2006 4802.41 322756.80
2004-2005 3848.29 236469.70
2003-2004 3371.97 198698.00
2002-2003 3061.97 177288.20
2001-2002 2501.13 143770.30
2000-2001 1882.10 101700.10
1999-2000 1949.32 98070.30
1998-1999 1705.74 81977.80
1997-1998 1525.43 69346.00
1996-1997 1475.42 63000.40
1995-1996 1217.06 49704.00
1994-1995 1197.63 48144.70
1993-1994 1088.72 43549.00
1992-1993 944.57 36970.40
1991-1992 849.66 32414.50
Data upto the month of September of financial year 2010-2011.
Source : Foreign Exchange Policy Department, Bangladesh Bank

61
9.1Friendliness and Hospitality of the people of Bangladesh:
The people of Bangladesh are hospitable which indicatethe perceptions of a country‘s overall
friendliness and manners. When the foreigners were asked that what comes to their mind when
they think of Bangladesh. Highest 20.5% of the respondents said that the friendliness of the
people of Bangladesh.
Chart 18 reveals that 60.0% of the native respondents strongly agree with the statement that the
people of Bangladesh are friendly. And 13.3% of the respondents extremely agree and somewhat
agree with the statement respectively. (Appendix: Table 22).On the other hand, Chart 19 reveals
that 40 % of the foreigner respondents strongly agree with the statement that the people of
Bangladesh are friendly. And 20.0% of the respondents agree and with the statement. (Appendix:
Table 23)
9.2Women empowerment:
Over the past few years the women are becoming much more productive in terms of growing
participation in the economic activities. They are becoming more independent in decision
making as their economic condition is developing. Research shows that more than 80% of the
6.7
13.3
20
13.3
40
6.7
Chart 19: the people of
Bangladesh are friendly stated
by foreigners
6.7 13.3
6.7
60
13.3
Chart 18 :The People of
Bangladesh are friendly stated
by native people

62
population of women is working in the RMG sector. This is a very positive factor for Bangladesh
in the coming days. Chart 20 shows that 60.0% of the native respondentsagree with the statement
that increasing participation of women in various sectors is the indicator of women
empowerment in Bangladesh. And 26.7%strongly agrees with it and13.3% somewhat agrees.And
chart 21 shows that 53.0% of the foreign respondents agree with the statement that increasing
participation of women in various sectors is the indicator of women empowerment in
Bangladesh. And 27.0% neither agree nor disagree with it and13.0% disagrees. This is a very
positive indicator for Bangladesh as it helps to increase both economic and image capital.
9.3Word Associations about the people of Bangladesh:
Chart 22 shows that nearly all of the native respondents use positive adjectives to describe the
people of Bangladesh who are seen most associated with hard-working, honest and fun loving.
38.1% of the native respondents say that the people of Bangladesh are hard working. 23.8% say
honest and 14.3% say that the people of Bangladesh are fun loving. (Appendix: Table 26).On the
other hand, chart 23 also shows that nearly all of the foreigners use positive adjectives to
describe the people of Bangladesh who are seen most associated with hard-working, honest and
fun loving. 36.0% of the respondents say that the people of Bangladesh are hard working. 20.0%
say hospitable, 20% say honest and 12% say skillful. (Appendix: Table 27)
13%
27%
7%
53%
Chart 21:The increasing participation
of women in various important
sectors is the indicator of women
empowerment in Bangladesh stated
by foreigners
Disagree
Neither Agree
Nor Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
AgreeSomewhat
Agree
Agree Strongly
Agree
13.3
60
26.7
Chart 20 :The increasing participation of
women in various important sectors is
the indicator of Women Empowerment
in Bangladesh stated by native people

63
9.4 Recommendations:
 Vocational training should be encouraged to create self employment opportunity and to
diminish unemployment problems.
 Computer literature should be made compulsory subject in the primary education.
 The government should take steps to boost the friendships with other countries so that
they will be interested to allowworking more skilled and semi skilled workers of
Bangladesh in their countries.
36
20 20
12
4 4 4
Chart 23:The adjectives that
best describe the people of
Bangladesh stated by
foreigners
38.1
23.8
14.3 9.5 9.5 4.8
Chart 22:The adjectives that
best describe the people of
Bangladesh stated by native
people

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