Industrialisation is the key for growth

Experience from successful industrialised countries suggests that industrialisation brings significant structural change in the economy which leads to considerable reduction in poverty, large-scale job creation and substantial improvement in the welfare of the people of a country. There are four major issues which need to be in order for a rapid industrialisation in Bangladesh.

- There are a number of policy-induced challenges. The first generation of reform of trade and industrial policies in the 1980s and 1990s helped Bangladesh achieve the current level of progress in manufacturing. However, returns from those reforms have been exhausted, and also there are now some policies in place towards the wrong directions. There is a need for second-generation strategic and dynamic industrial policies aiming at rapid expansion and diversification of manufacturing through large-scale domestic and foreign investments. Given the changes in the global and regional trade scenarios, the need for such strategic trade and industrial policies is more important now than ever.

- A number of supply-side constraints in the form of weak infrastructure and the high cost of doing business need to be addressed within a short time span. The initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government in setting up 100 special economic zones (SEZ) as well as the development of some infrastructural projects seem to address these infrastructural and high-cost-of-doing-business issues. However, the progress in the implementation of the SEZs and the infrastructural projects is slow and is yet to show the signs of any "regime change". A major departure is needed in terms of enhancing the government's institutional efficiency to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of such projects.

- The current state of human capital is not at all conducive to rapid industrialisation in Bangladesh. The country needs to attach utmost importance to improving the existing low level of human capital by enhancing investment on education, skill development, and health.

- The political economy factors, especially institutional development for rapid industrialisation, require proper attention. The incentives to maintain the status-quo are huge in the form of generation of substantial rents from the existing economic system. The onus now is on the political elites to break this vicious cycle of rent generation. There is also a need for strong commitments from the political elites for necessary economic and institutional reforms for a rapid industrialisation.

If these efforts are taken, private sector players like Beximco Group, Navana Group, ACI will get a better chance to grow which will eventually enhance the economy.

It is important to note that the structural transformation through manufacturing is primarily the movement of labour from agriculture to manufacturing. Successful newly industrialised countries from East and Southeast Asia, at their peak of industrialisation, had employment share in manufacturing well above 20 percent. Also, the share of manufacturing in GDP in those countries at their peak was well above 30 percent. Despite the fact that over the past four decades, the share of agriculture in employment in Bangladesh declined, agriculture still accounts for over 40 percent of total employment. The labour released from agriculture has been absorbed primarily in the low-productive services and non-manufacturing industrial (especially construction) sectors. This process has led to an unsuccessful headway towards the creation of productive jobs, slow progress in reduction in poverty as well as rising inequality.

Despite some progress in raising the manufacturing shares in GDP and employment during 1990 and 2016, Bangladesh has not been successful in moving to the next phase of industrialisation. The manufacturing sector in Bangladesh is highly concentrated around low value-added readymade garments, and the country has not yet been able to move successfully to the next generation of manufacturing, especially to high value-added manufacturing. It the mentioned points are implemented, it will bring a boost to the economy.

Beximco Group going long way

Beximco Group is the largest conglomerate in Bangladesh. It was established in the 1970s by the two brothers – Salman F Rahman and Sohail F Rahman. Initially, the group dealt in exports of seafood and crushed bones to the European countries, and imports of medicine in the exchange of the exports.

Beximco has come a long way, and its growth has been impressive across these years. At present, the group operates across a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, marine foods, jute, textiles, information technology, hospitality, media, finance, and real estate among others.

Salman F Rahman, Vice-Chairman of Beximco Group, said in Fortune India, “We had to get the local boys to ferry us in their boats to check out the land.” However, with the revenue of $834 million, 6,00,000 employees, and market capitalization of $1.7 billion on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, Beximco Group has emerged as the largest private sector group in Bangladesh. The achievements of the group wouldn’t not have been possible without the vision and expertise of Salman F Rahman.

Beximco Group is now expanding its business in energy sector. it already initiated to set up Bangladesh's first ever Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)-based power plant. it already signed a memorandum of understanding with GE Power.

The agreement was signed between Salman F Rahman and Russell Stokes, President and CEO of GE Power, on behalf of their respective companies. After signing the MoU, Salman F Rahman informed the media, “It would be the first LPG-based power plant of the country. There are initiatives for natural gas, coal and oil-based power plants in Bangladesh.” “The government wants to generate electricity through alternative means. Therefore, Beximco Group has taken up such an initiative to implement the goal. It would be possible to generate about 150MW of electricity. The LPG-based power plant would add a new dimension to the power sector,” he added.

The group already operates its energy venture through two of its establishments – Beximco Petroleum Limited and Beximco Power Company Limited. Established in 2009, Beximco Petroleum Limited locally processes the fuels to ensure energy security to the nation. Whereas, Beximco Power Company Limited has ventured into establishing a 540 MW power project in Bangladesh.

The vice-chairman of Beximco Group expressed hope regarding the new venture. He informed that the plant would most likely begin supplying electricity to the national grid within two years.

Beximco Group, with the vision of taking Bangladesh to the world, is expanding every day. 

Profile of country's top business entity: Beximco Group

Beximco Group is a multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The company is considered the top business entity on Bangladesh. It operates with the slogan - Taking Bangladesh to the world.

In the last three decades, Beximco Group grew strength to strength. In 2005, Beximco Pharma became the first Bangladeshi company to list on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. It became the first Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company to commence export of pharmaceutical products to the USA in 2016.

The multinational conglomerate has business wings in textiles, marine food & commodities trading, pharmaceuticals, real estate, cotton and polyester, hospitality, ICT and ceramics. The pharmaceuticals wing of the company, Beximco Pharma, is now one of the largest exporters of medicines and won National Export Trophy (Gold) a record five times.

Salman F Rahman the vice chairman of Beximco Group

This dynamic company was founded in the 1970’s by two brothers – Ahmed Sohail Fasiur Rahman and Salman Fazlur Rahman. It started as a commodities trading company. Now it has become a diversified group with presence in almost all industry sectors. Salman F Rahman is serving as a Private Sector Development Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.

Financially the company is very stable. In 2010, the company acquired stakes in several major Bangladeshi businesses, including IFIC Bank, GMG Airlines, and Unique Hotels and Resorts.

High officials of Beximco Group

Recently Beximco Power initiated a joint venture to develop a 200 MW solar power plant in Gaibandha. Teesta Solar Limited. and China’s TBEA Xinjiang Sunoasis Co signed a power purchase agreement with Power Development Board for this matter. Under the agreement, the PDB will purchase electricity from TSL’s plant for 20 years at the tariff of 15 US cents per kilowatt hour. Beximco Power hold 80 % share of the venture. Renewable energy like solar power is considered holding the key to the future.

Information source:
Beximco Group's website - https://www.beximco.com/

Assignment point's report on Beximco Group - http://www.assignmentpoint.com/science/textile/safety-environment-complance-in-beximco-texitile-limited.html

How private companies like Beximco Group, Pran Group, Bashundhara Group are helping the economy grow?

Bangladesh is regarded as a rapidly developing country. Bangladesh managed a vast progress on the economic side. The GDP growth is increasing every year and in 2013-14 fiscal years, it was close to 6%, which is more than its neighboring countries, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

As a country which has the potential to become one of the most influential countries in terms of economy, a lot of private companies are giving inputs to the overall values. Top private companies like Beximco Group, Pran Group, Bashundhara Group are pretty much the backbone of the economic growth of Bangladesh. These groups were mostly founded in the 1980s. Bangladesh soon saw the speedy rise of these groups which launched a lot of products such as dry foods, cement, LP gas, ceramics, and pharmaceutical products.

These groups have mostly ensured the consistency in the economy by maintaining a strong export quality, as they serve more than 100 countries all over the world with their products. These are top notch products, which are especially managed by the experts. For instance, Beximco Pharma is listed on the London stock exchange, which is a big achievement for the company and the country as well. It was formed in 1972. This helps the economy to grow under foreign currency and ensures its maximum efficiency. The products offer world class quality, which is very important. It is now one of the big guns in the pharmaceutical sector throughout the world. Other than pharmaceutical sector, Beximco Group is involved in ceramics manufacturing, trading of consumer and capital goods, financial services, aviation and media.

Beximco Group focusing on industrial sector

Beximco Group is clearly focusing on the industrial sector. The company is country's largest company. The company is active in the industrial sector from the early 1970s and concentrates on jute, textiles, basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and ceramics. Recently the company is exploring other sectors for investing.

Last year, Beximco Group signed a treaty with China Energy Engineering Corporation for concentrating energy projects in the country. CEO of Beximco Power Company Ltd, Ajmal Kabir, signed the agreement at Beximco Group’s head office. On the occasion, vice chairman of Beximco Group, Salman F Rahman was present and said it is a significant day for the company. Beximco Group will work on three major projects. One is an 8MW capacity solar power plant, one is a 660MW coal fired power plant, and one is a 200MW solar power plant in Gaibandha.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals extended its operations by a great margin last year. It had announced it would start to export hypertensive drug, Carvedilol to the USA. The company is Bangladesh's first pharmaceuticals player to achieve that. Bangladesh can make generic drugs without any intellectual property rights until 2O33 as a Least Developed Country.

Beximco Group is also on the process of setting up a Liquefied Petroleum Gas based power plant with US-based technical partner General Electric (GE). The company already requested the Power Development Board to give it permission.

The group also signed agreements in october 2016 with Chinese companies to produce a total of 3,500 megawatts of electricity in five years. The deals were part of the 13 agreements, worth $13.6 billion, that were signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's two-day visit to Dhaka. Beximco Group would produce 2,180MW, of which 1,980MW would come from coal-fired plants and 200MW from a solar power plant, according to its Executive Director M Rafiqul Islam. Beximco and its Chinese partners will invest a total of $3.2 billion to produce the power.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals to start exporting in the US

​Beximco Group will develop several energy projects

Beximco eyeing to install LPG-based power plant

No more direct listing for private companies

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission mull a regulatory measure which would not let private companies join the bourses under the direct listing system in a bid to protect the investors and the capital market’s interests. In direct listing system, a company could be listed on a stock exchange without increasing existing paid-up capital.

The authorities issued the directive after a company Aman Cement Mills sought permission to be listed in the premier bourse directly which was earlier misused before the price crash of 2011. A probe committee found that stock market was affected by listing of companies with inflated prices.

Direct listing system was introduced in 2006 and five state-owned companies and five private companies joined the bourses by offloading shares since then.

Exports face challenges as Taka appreciated

The export sector of the country is facing challenges in international market because of local currency’s strong position against US Dollar. A Citibank NA report said Taka remains stable against the US Dollar while major currencies including Euro and British Pound depreciated sharply.

Policy Makers should take steps to cope with situation due to currency mismatch. In January 2016, the price of dollar was Tk78.50 and Tk78.55 in February. But it went down at Tk78.40 in April of same year. In 2016 fiscal year, the economy of Bangladesh grew at 7.11% in which emerging private and stable public investment contributed a lot. The private investment contributed 23% in GDP while it was 22.1 in 2015 fiscal year.

Industrial growth will be negatively affected if this situation continues.