Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are actively exploring new avenues for collaboration in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sectors, with recent high-level meetings underscoring a shared commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation in these rapidly growing industries. Accordingly, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dharmapala Weerakkody, accompanied by Minister Counsellor for Commerce Srimali Jayarathne, held a strategic meeting with the President of the Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO), Tanvir Ibrahim, and members of its Executive Committee.
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The meeting, held at the BACCO office in Dhaka, focused on enhancing cooperation in ICT and BPO, with both parties identifying key areas for mutual benefit. BACCO, a leading trade body representing the IT-enabled services and outsourcing sector in Bangladesh, plays a pivotal role in promoting policy dialogue and industry development. During the discussions, High Commissioner Weerakkody offered an in-depth assessment of Sri Lanka’s ICT landscape, highlighting its strengths in service delivery, skilled workforce, and digital infrastructure. He underscored the Sri Lankan government’s emphasis on promoting ICT as a core sector for economic growth and outlined attractive investment incentives available for foreign investors.
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A key highlight of the meeting was the invitation extended by the High Commissioner for BACCO and Bangladeshi stakeholders to participate in Disrupt Asia 2025, Sri Lanka’s flagship ICT conference organized by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), scheduled for September 2025 in Colombo. He also emphasized the potential for joint ventures, knowledge exchange, and cross-border capacity building in the BPO industry. Responding to these proposals, BACCO President Tanvir Ibrahim lauded Sri Lanka’s expertise in the ICT and BPO space and expressed enthusiasm for building deeper ties with Sri Lankan companies. The BACCO delegation also extended a reciprocal invitation for Sri Lanka to take part in the BACCO Summit 2025, set to be held in Dhaka in late June.
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Both sides agreed to organize a virtual trilateral session involving BACCO, the Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM), and ICTA to facilitate continued dialogue and project planning. Additionally, this engagement follows a similar meeting held earlier on April 27, 2025, between High Commissioner Weerakkody and the Chairman of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), Rafel Kabir, along with BASIS committee members. The discussions centered on advancing cooperation in software development, digital innovation, and information services.
Accordingly, BASIS leadership expressed strong interest in developing ties with Sri Lankan tech companies and welcomed the prospect of hosting visiting delegations from Sri Lanka to foster partnerships and explore joint initiatives in the ICT domain. These developments reflect a growing momentum in regional ICT collaboration, as both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh recognize the strategic importance of leveraging their respective strengths in digital services to expand their global footprint and drive economic progress.
