Bangladesh Artists to Reach Global Markets Through E-commerce

The government plans to help local artists and artisans reach international customers by supporting the marketing of their products through e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba. Through financial assistance, skills development, design, branding and digital-market access, the initiative aims to turn creative industries into a new driver of GDP growth, employment and foreign-exchange earnings.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury made the remarks as the chief guest at the unveiling of the book Creative Footprints, jointly organized by Standard Chartered Bank and Bengal Foundation at the Sheraton Hotel in Banani, Dhaka, on Saturday, October 24.

The minister said the government was working to bring arts and culture, rural handicrafts, music, film and theatre into mainstream economic activity and make them key contributors to the country’s future GDP growth. Under conventional economic thinking, he said, arts and culture had often been treated as secondary to economic activity. The current government has decided to move beyond that approach and incorporate the creative economy as a new component of Bangladesh’s economic ambitions and growth.

He said the government could not implement such a large initiative on its own. Alongside policy support and financing, the creative sector would be advanced through strong partnerships with the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The government has already allocated funds for the sector in the budget, he added, while private-sector organizations are also coming forward with substantial financing.

Outlining the government’s plans to expand the creative sector, Amir Khasru said local artisans, visual artists and cultural workers would receive financial assistance as well as support for skills development, design, branding and marketing through international e-commerce platforms. Access to platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba could help ensure better recognition and monetization of products made by grassroots artists and artisans. The initiative could improve their living standards while creating jobs and contributing to foreign-exchange earnings.

Emphasizing the role of culture in raising Bangladesh’s profile internationally, the finance minister said the initiative was about more than art, handicrafts or business. It represented Bangladesh’s “soft power.” The government’s main objective, he said, was to strengthen the country’s position on the world stage through music, theatre, film and handicrafts.

Thanking Standard Chartered Bank and Bengal Foundation for the initiative, he expressed hope that joint efforts by the public and private sectors would bring about a cultural and economic revolution in the country.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook attended the event as a special guest. Also present were Bengal Foundation Chairman Abul Khair Litu and Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive Officer Enamul Haque.

//DBTech/JNR/MSI/SMP//