Corporate
Top E-Commerce Achievers Honored at Digital Entrepreneur Summit
The Digital Business Network recently hosted the “Digital Entrepreneur Summit 2023” at the IDEB in Kakrail, Dhaka. The summit, held last Friday December 8, featured diverse sessions covering digital business, social media marketing, global e-commerce, f-commerce, search engine marketing, freelancing, content creation, SAAS, sales, and client communication.
Digital Business Network, active in Bangladesh’s digital business arena for four years, has collaborated with over 10,000 digital entrepreneurs, providing support through digital career bootcamps, networking, and growth consultancy.
Ahsan Habib, founder of AREA71, Nahid Hasan, MD and CEO of Bizcope, Samia Ahmed, Head of Growth of MonsterClaw, Md. Zahidul Islam, Fiver Community Leader, Ariful Islam, founder of Graphic Solo, Niaz Ahmed founder and CEO of Corporate Ask, Syed Shuvo, Head of Daraz Marketing Solution spoke in this grand event. Also, Abu Taher Suman, Managing Director of Awwma Technologies, Rafayet Rakib, founder of Double R Studios, Jawad Ul Sami, CEO of Mailtoon.io, Md. Nazmul Hasan, founder and CEO of Microters, Abu Huraira Bin Aman, CTO of ThemeXpert, Abu Saeed, CMO of LinkBoss, Tuhin Parvez, co-founder of Onelittleweb Ltd., Saiful Islam, founder of Business Inspection BD, M Asif Rahman, founder of WPDeveloper, Sah Paran, founder and CEO of HandyMama, Md. Ziaul Haque Bhuiyan, Chief of Staff of ShopUp, Dr. Tanjiba Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Freelancer Development Society, Md. Sahab Uddin, Vice President of e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, Imran Kadir, 2024 National President of JCI Bangladesh, Md. Altamis Nabil, 2024 National Training Commissioner of JCI Bangladesh, Md. Zahirul Islam Mohsan, 2024 Local Secretary General of JCI Dhaka West spoke at the summit. The event was moderated by SM Belal Uddin, CEO of Texort and founder of Digital Business Network.
Acknowledging the achievements of its members, the summit honored the top 22 successful individuals in global e-commerce, with rewards ranging from $1,000 to $100,000. Each participant also received a gift worth Tk. 10,000. Notably, SayHi’s NFC digital business card, facilitating information sharing, was a special highlight.
The event concluded with a raffle draw, distributing gifts worth Tk. 1 lakh among participants. MonsterClaw LLC served as the title sponsor, Gearlaunch as the powered by sponsor, SayHi as the platinum sponsor, and Business Globalizer as the gold sponsor and notebook partner. Nurency and Affpilot, AI Article Writing Tool, were silver sponsors, while MoveOn sponsored the event’s t-shirts. Gift partners included Corporate Ask, Ki Proyojon, Pizzawala, Uddokta Hoi, and TeeSamurai. Community partners were Event Pilot, DMFR Molecular Lab & Diagnostics, with Texort Digital as an associate partner. JCI Dhaka West contributed as the youth engagement partner, Codemanbd as the logo board sponsor, and Digital Media Forum-DMF as the digital media partner.
The summit’s overarching goal was to inspire entrepreneurs to embrace digital business, contribute to employment growth, enhance digital literacy, and foster the economic prosperity of a Smart Bangladesh.
Grameenphone (GP) and bKash Partner to Simplify Financial Inclusion
Grameenphone, a leading smart connectivity provider in Bangladesh, has teamed up with bKash, the country’s largest Mobile Financial Service (MFS) provider, to enable seamless bKash account openings directly through the MyGP app. This innovative feature sets a new standard for accessibility and ease of use in mobile financial services.
The integration within the MyGP app marks a pioneering initiative, being the first of its kind in Bangladesh. This collaboration reinforces Grameenphone and bKash as major innovators in their respective industries. According to a press release, this partnership allows customers to register for bKash accounts by simply clicking on a dedicated section within the MyGP app.
With user consent and a few verifications, customers are swiftly directed to the bKash registration platform, where they can complete the eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process. This streamlined procedure enables customers to quickly access a wide range of financial services offered by bKash. Initially, this service is available to Android users through the MyGP app.
New customers who open a bKash account via the MyGP app will receive a bonus of up to Taka 125, encouraging them to explore the diverse features and services provided by the bKash platform.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the partnership, Yasir Azman, CEO of Grameenphone, stated, “At Grameenphone, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Our collaboration with bKash reflects our customer-centric approach and our commitment to promoting financial inclusion and digital empowerment to create a Smart Bangladesh.”
Kamal Quadir, Founder and CEO of bKash, echoed this sentiment, adding, “Financial inclusion and inclusive services have been part of bKash’s DNA since its inception. This innovative joint initiative with Grameenphone will allow customers to instantly access various financial services, contributing to the digital ecosystem. This increased accessibility will enable more customers to embark on Bangladesh’s cashless journey.”
Startup Bangladesh Limited has unveiled a strategic investment of BDT 1 crore in Pulse Tech Ltd, a move set to revolutionize digital healthcare in Bangladesh. This significant investment signals a profound commitment to bolstering the nation’s digital healthcare sector.
During a formal signing ceremony in Dhaka, attended by key figures including Md. Shamsul Arefin, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Startup Bangladesh, and Senior Secretary of the ICT Division, alongside Sami Ahmed, Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh, the investment was officially announced. Also present were Arefeen Raafi Ahmed, Co-founder and Managing Director, and Kazi Ashikur Rasul, Co-founder and CEO of Pulse Tech Ltd, along with senior management.
Pulse Tech Ltd. is renowned for its innovative solutions tailored for the retail pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh. Their comprehensive B2B SaaS platform empowers retail pharmacies to efficiently source products, manage inventory, and track transactions in a seamless digital environment. With a mission to eliminate counterfeit and expired products from the market, Pulse Tech aims to transform retail pharmacies into comprehensive healthcare hubs, offering services such as diagnostic test booking, telemedicine, and medicine supply.
Md. Shamsul Arefin underscored the strategic importance of the investment, stating, “Investing in Pulse Tech Ltd. is a strategic move to enhance our national healthcare infrastructure. Through this investment, we aim to enable Pulse Tech to innovate and expand its services in the retail pharma industry, crucial for advancing healthcare technology in Bangladesh.”
Sami Ahmed, Managing Director of Startup Bangladesh, echoed this sentiment, expressing, “We believe in the transformative potential of technology and are proud to partner with Pulse Tech as they drive digital healthcare innovation. Our investment reflects our confidence in their vision and our commitment to nurturing startups vital for technological advancement and economic growth.”
With this injection of capital, Pulse Tech is poised to accelerate technology development and expand operations, focusing on improving the efficiency of retail pharmacies and accessibility of authentic medicines nationwide. The investment from Startup Bangladesh is anticipated to have a significant impact on the healthcare sector, providing state-of-the-art solutions to meet the evolving needs of the Bangladeshi population.
Arefeen Raafi Ahmed, Co-founder and Managing Director of Pulse Tech Ltd., expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Startup Bangladesh as our newest investor. Their guidance and support will be instrumental in helping us achieve our organizational goals and positively impact Bangladesh’s retail pharmaceutical industry and healthcare landscape.”
This strategic alliance between Startup Bangladesh and Pulse Tech Ltd. marks a pivotal step towards a technologically advanced and health-conscious Bangladesh.
Following the merger of EXIM and Padma, BASIC Bank is now set to merge with City Bank. The decision was reached during a meeting held today (8 April) at the Bangladesh Bank. Sources within the central bank revealed that the merger will be voluntary. This significant decision emerged from a meeting between Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rauf Talukdar and City Bank’s Chairman Aziz Al Qaiser and Managing Director (MD) Mashrur Arefin.
Previously, on 19 March, the board of City Bank received a recommendation to merge with Basic Bank. Subsequently, discussions ensued between the boards of both City Bank and Basic Bank. Officials from both banks engaged in internal discussions regarding this matter. Despite the merger, sources indicate that the two banks will continue to report separate financials for the next three years.
