Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 1.1 Background 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. 1.2 Broad 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. 1 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 2 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 1.5 Methodology 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. 3 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 4 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 1.6 Conceptual Model: Tourism Culture Increase awareness & favorable image People about Bangladesh Branding Bangladesh Export Investment Governance 5 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 1.7 Limitation 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. 6 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 2.1 Branding: 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. 2.2 Brand 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. 7 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 2.3 Customer- 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 8 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 9 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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: 10 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 3.3 The 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. 11 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 anticorruption 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. 12 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 Maswood Alam 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. 13 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 14 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 IndexSM measures 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, 15 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 components of 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 countries that 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 16 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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: 1. Flood 2. Natural Calamities Good 1. War of Liberation(1971) 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 1. TI corruption Ranking (2001-2006) 2. Militant, terrorism etc. 3. Killing of political leaders (1975-1981) 4. BDR Violence (2009) Bad Powerful 1. State of Emergency (2007-2008) But the negative aspects of Bangladesh are highlighted more than the positive aspects. That is why promoting the positive aspects of Bangladesh to let the world know is the demand of the time. 17 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 5.1 Branding Bangladesh: 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 long term. 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 18 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 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. 5.2 SWOT 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 19 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Opportunities: 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 years after independence (1971–1990), Bangladesh was most of the time ruled by non-elected and military-backed governments. 20 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh After a popular movement, a democratic parliamentary form of government was installed in 1991. The polarization and hostility between 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. E Economic 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) S Sociocultural Factors: 21 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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) T Technological 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. 22 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 6.1 The 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. Brand Knowledge Brand Awareness Brand Image Brand Recognition Brand Recall So it is important to know what lies in the people‘s mind when they think of Bangladesh. As Al Ries 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 23 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh (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 1:The Perception of native People about Bangladesh 2% 2% 2% 19% Rich in Natural Beauty Over Crowded Traffic Congestion Load Shedding Corruption Friendly People 5% Pollution Distinctive Culture 5% 12% Riverine Liberation War A Feeling of Motherland 10% Politically Disturbed Poverty 12% 10% 10% Dusty Agricultural Hospitality 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 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) 24 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 2 : Perception of foreigners about Bangladesh Friendly People Poverty Over Crowded 3% 3% 2% 5% 7% Pollution 7% 9% Rich in Natural Beauty Rickshaw Politically Disturbed 9% 7% 9% 9% Over Crowded Hospitality Illiteracy Corruption Wild Life 2% 21% Load Shedding Traffic Congestion 7% 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: 25 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Rich in Natural Beauty Friendly People Over Population Politically Disturbed Poverty Bangladesh Corruption Traffic Congestion Load shedding 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. 26 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 7.1 Tourism: 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 with development 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. 27 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 7.2 The 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) Chart 3 :Tourist spots that Native people of Bangladesh visited or want to visit in future 34.1 19.5 9.8 9.8 7.3 4.9 4.9 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 28 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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) Chart 4:The Tourist Spots that the foreigners have Visited or Wants to Visit 46.9 21.9 6.3 6.3 6.3 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 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). 29 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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) Chart 5:Name of the Tourist Spot which can be the face of Bangladesh stated by native people 60 Chart 6: Name of the Tourist Spot which can be the face of Bangladesh stated by foreigners 6% 13% 33.3 Cox’s Bazar Sundarban 6.7 Bagerhat 81% Cox’s Bazar Sundarban Bandarban 7.3.1 Cox'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. 30 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 7.3.2 Sundarban: The Sundarban is the largest single block of tidal mangrove forest in the world. The name Sundarban can 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: সমুদ্রবন 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 UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, but while the Bangladeshi and Indian portions constitute the same continuous ecotope, these are separately listed in the UNESCO world 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 eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), 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 eco region 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. 31 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 7.3.3 Saint 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 "Chera Dweep". Chera Dweep 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 Chera Dweep. Local name of this island is "Narikel Gingira" 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. 32 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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, speed boat 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. 7.3.6 Bandarban - 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. 33 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh The three highest peak of Bangladesh - Tahjindong (1280 meters, also known as bijoy), Mowdok Mual (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. 7.3.7 Kuakata: 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 a unique opportunity to witness both sun rise and sun set. The local Rakhain population 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 Sagar Kannya (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. 34 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 'Maghi Purnima'. 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. 7.3.8 Tamabil & 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. 7.3.9 Mainamati: 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. 35 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 7.3.10 Teknaf: Southernmost tip of Bangladesh, Teknaf situated on the Naaf River and just at the end of the hilly regions of the district. Mayanmar is on the opposite bank of Naaf River. 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. 7.3.11 Mahasthangarh: 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 Govinda Bhita Temple, Khodai Pathar Mound, Mankalir Kunda, Parasuramer Bedi, Jiyat Kunda 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. 36 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 7.4 Tourism 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) Chart 7: Adjective that best describes the visit in Bangladesh 12% 15% 42% Fascinating Exciting Stressful Risky 31% 7.5 Total Tourist Arrivals in Bangladesh: The following table shows the tourist arrivals in Bangladesh in different years and the rate of growth of the same: 37 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Table: Year-Wise Total Tourist Arrivals in Bangladesh Year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Tourist Arrivals Number 113242 110475 126785 140122 156231 165887 182420 171961 172781 199211 207199 207246 244509 271270 Growth Rate (%) (-) 2.44 (+) 14.76 (+) 10.52 (+) 11.50 (+) 6.18 (+) 9.97 (-) 5.73 (+) 0.48 (+) 15.30 (+) 4.01 (+) 0.02 (+) 17.98 (+) 10.94 +8.73 % Average Growth Rate 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. 7.6 Steps 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) 38 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 8 : Steps should be taken to improve tourism in Bangladeshaccording to the opinions of Native People Improve Hotel & Transportation System Increase Security 8% 2% 3% 31% Promotional Activity Make Tourist Friendly Environment Eco Tourism 28% 28% 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) Chart 9: Steps should be taken to improve tourism in Bangladesh according to the opinions of Foreigners 29.4 29.4 14.7 8.8 11.8 5.9 39 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 7.7 Recommendation: 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 given priority 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 of every 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 40 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 41 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 8.1 Culture & 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 economy etc; 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. 42 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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, Daulat Kazi 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 43 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Bhawaiya. Lyricists like Lalon Shah, Hason Raja, Kangal Harinath, Romesh Shill, Abbas Uddin and many unknown anonymous lyrists have enriched the tradition of folk songs of Bangladesh. In relatively modern context, Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul geeti form precious cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Both vocal and instrumental classical music is enjoyed in Bangladesh. Ustad Ayet Ali Khan and Ustad Alauddin 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. 44 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Bangladesh has 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. 8.3 Festivals and celebrations: Festivals and celebrations are integral part of the culture of Bangladesh. Prominent and widely celebrated festivals are Pohela Baishakh, Language Movement Day, Independence day, National Mourning Day, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram, and Durga puja. 8.3.1 Pohela Boishakh: Pohela Boishakh 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. Pohela Boishakh 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, Esho Esho. 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 Panta at Ramna Park, Dhaka are a special feature of Pahela Baishakh. Tournaments, boat races etc. are held in cities and villages amidst great jubilation. Many fairs are held in Dhaka and other towns and villages. 45 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh The Halkhata function, observed mainly by the merchant community, is still in vogue on the occasion of Pahela Baisakh. 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. 8.3.2 Language 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, Shaheed Minar, a symbolic sculpture, was erected in the place of the massacre. Today the Shaheed Minar 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 Shaheed Minar. A very melodious and melancholy song, Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano, written by Abdul Gaffar Choudhury 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 Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh. In this day, the country wears a celebratory look especially in 46 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 8.3.4 Victory 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 Suhrawardy Uddayan formerly known as the Race Course Maiden in Dhaka and Bangladesh became as an independent country. 8.3.5 Eid ul-Fitr: As the most important religious festival for the majority Muslims, the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr has become a part of the culture of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh declares holiday for three days on Eid-ul Fitr. 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 Eid Ghah 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).Eid ul-Azha: 47 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh The celebration of Eid ul-Adha is similar to Eid ul-Fitar in many ways. The only big difference is the Qurbani or sacrifice of domestic animals on Eid ul-Azha. Numerous temporary marketplaces of different sizes called Haat operate 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. 8.3.6 Eid-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 Rabiul Awal (Lunar Month). The Muslim community offers special prayers, milad mahfils, 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. 8.3.7 Muharram: 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. 8.3.8 Bishwa Istima: 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. 48 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 8.3.9 Rabindra and Nazrul Jayanti: Birth anniversary of the noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore on 25th Baishakh (7 May) and same of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on 11th Jaystha (25 May) are observed throughout the country. Different cultural programs are arranged and discussions are held on those occasions. 8.3.10 Durga 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 Langalbandh Mela is observed by them every year near Sonargaon on the last day of Chaittra (last Bengali month). 8.3.11 Christmas: 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. 8.3.12 Buddha Purnima: The main and important religious festival of Buddhist community is observed through out the country. They also celebrate Baishakhi Purnima and Maghi Purnima through out the country. In addition to that, various other festivals are habitually observed by Bangalees all the year round. 8.3.13 Pohela Falgun and Valentine Day: Thousands of young people, both male and female, are taking part in the twin celebrations of Pahela Falgun[The first day of Spring according to Bangla calender] and Valentine‘s Day welcoming the advent of spring and sharing the great day of love. 49 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh The youngsters celebrate the occasions wearing colorful dresses, carrying flowers in their hands and singing love songs as well as spring songs. 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 Pahela Falgun wearing yellow saris. Pahela Falgun, 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 ‗Bashanta Utshab‘ 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 Bashanta Utshab. 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. 8.3.14 Lalon Mela: Fokir Lalon 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 BritishIndia era and Kushtia district of present Bangladesh. He is called as the Baul Shamrat (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. 50 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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. 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. 8.3.15 Weddings: Bengali weddings are traditionally in five parts: first it is the bride and groom's Mehendi Shondha, the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's Gaye Holud, the Beeya and the Bou Bhaat. 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 mehendi shondha 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 Holud of 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. 51 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 8.3.16 Jabbar er Boli Khela: 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 boli khela was introduced in 1909 by Abdul Jabbar Saodagar. 8.3.17 Nobanno Utsab: Nobanno is the festival of harvest in Bengal. The word translates as "New Rice". The festival takes place in the month of Agrohayon or Aghran of 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 Jatiya Nabanno Utshob Udjapan Parishad has been taking steps to encourage Nabanno Utshob 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, Kachi Kanchar Mela, Khelaghar also took part. 8.4 Cuisine of Bangladesh: Panta Ilish - a traditional platter of Panta bhat with fried Hilsa slice, supplemented with dried fish (Shutki), pickles (Achar), dal, green chillies and onion - is a popular serving for the Pohela Boishakh 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. 52 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Sweetmeats of Bangladesh are mostly milk based, and consist of several delights including Roshgulla, Sandesh, Rasamalai, Gulap Jamun, Kalo Jamun, Chom Chom. 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 freshwater fish are common, including carp varieties like rui (rohu), katla, magur (catfish), chingŗi (prawn or shrimp), as well as shuţki (dried sea fish). Salt water fish (not sea fish though) Ilish (hilsa ilisha) is very popular among Bengalis, can be called an icon of Bengali cuisine. 8.5 Sports: Football, cricket are 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. 8.6 Culture Word Associations: Chart 10 demonstrates that 63.6% of the native respondents associate Bangladesh with festivals while 31.8% of the respondents associate it with sports. Besides, 4.5% of the respondents associate Bangladesh with music. (Appendix: Table 13) 53 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 10 :Perception of native people when they think of the culture of Bangladesh 63.6 31.8 4.5 Festivals Sports Music 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) Chart 11:Perception of foreigners' when they think of the culture of Bangladesh 83.3 11.1 5.6 Festivals Music Films 8.7 Awareness of the cultural events celebrated in Bangladesh: Chart 12 shows that 34% of the native respondents state that Pohela Baishakh is the cultural event they have celebrated in Bangladesh followed by Amor Ekushe (32%), Eid (13%), and Pohela Falgun (13%). (Appendix: Table 15). 54 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 12:Cultural Events Celebrated in Bangladesh as recognozed by native people Pohela Baishakh 2% 3% 3% Amor Ekushe(International Mother Language Day) Eid Pohela Falgun Durga Puja Valentine Day 32% 13% 34% 13% On the other hand, Chart 13 reveals that 63.6% of the foreigners state that Pohela Baishakh is the cultural event thay have celebrated in Bangladesh followed by Amor Ekushe (18.2%), Eid (9.1%), and Lalon Mela (9.1%). (Appendix: Table 16). Chart 13:Cultural Events Celebrated in Bangladesh as recognized by foreigners 63.6 18.2 9.1 9.1 Pohela Baishakh Amor Ekushe (International Mother Language Day) Eid Lalon Mela 55 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 8.8 Top 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 Pohela Baishakh as the top cultural festival of Bangladesh followed by Amor Ekushe (26.7%) and Pohela Falgun (17.8%). (Chart 14 and Appendix: Table 17). Chart 14 :Top Three Cultural Festival of Bangladesh as ranked by native people 33.3 26.7 17.8 6.7 4.4 4.4 4.4 2.2 On the other hand, when the respondents are asked to rank the top three cultural festivals of Bangladesh, 28% of the foreigner respondents rank Pohela Baishakh and International Mother Language Day as the top cultural festivals of Bangladesh followed by Chobi Mela (17%) and Eid (11%) and Nobanno Utsab (11%). (Chart 15 and Appendix: Table 18). 56 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 15:Top three Cultural Festival of Bangladesh as ranked by foreigners 5% 11% 28% International Mother Language Day Chobi Mela 11% Eid Nobanno Utsab 17% 28% Ekushe Boi Mela Pohela Baishakh 8.9 Recommendations: 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 Pohela Baishakh 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). 57 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 16 :Bangladesh is a Non Communal Country as stated by native people 100 Chart 17:Bangladesh is a Non Communal Country as stated by foreigners 33% Yes 67% 0 No Yes No 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 Tongi Jamat, 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. 58 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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) 59 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Table 21: Wage Earners Remittance Inflows (Yearly) Year/Month 2010-2011* 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 2006-2007 2005-2006 2004-2005 2003-2004 2002-2003 2001-2002 2000-2001 1999-2000 1998-1999 1997-1998 1996-1997 1995-1996 1994-1995 1993-1994 1992-1993 1991-1992 Remittances In million US dollar 2658.94 10987.40 9689.26 7914.78 5998.47 4802.41 3848.29 3371.97 3061.97 2501.13 1882.10 1949.32 1705.74 1525.43 1475.42 1217.06 1197.63 1088.72 944.57 849.66 In million Taka 184760.40 760109.59 666758.50 542951.40 412985.29 322756.80 236469.70 198698.00 177288.20 143770.30 101700.10 98070.30 81977.80 69346.00 63000.40 49704.00 48144.70 43549.00 36970.40 32414.50 Data upto the month of September of financial year 2010-2011. Source : Foreign Exchange Policy Department, Bangladesh Bank 60 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 9.1 Friendliness and Hospitality of the people of Bangladesh: The people of Bangladesh are hospitable which indicate the 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) Chart 18 :The People of Bangladesh are friendly stated by native people 60 6.7 13.3 13.3 6.7 Chart 19: the people of Bangladesh are friendly stated by foreigners 40 20 6.7 13.3 13.3 6.7 9.2 Women 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 61 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 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 respondents agree 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. Chart 20 :The increasing participation of women in various important sectors is the indicator of Women Empowerment in Bangladesh stated by native people Chart 21:The increasing participation of women in various important sectors is the indicator of women empowerment in Bangladesh stated by foreigners 13% 26.7 13.3 53% 27% Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree 7% Agree 60 9.3 Word 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) 62 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 22:The adjectives that best describe the people of Bangladesh stated by native people 38.1 23.8 14.3 9.5 9.5 4.8 Chart 23:The adjectives that best describe the people of Bangladesh stated by foreigners 36 20 20 12 4 4 4 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 allow working more skilled and semi skilled workers of Bangladesh in their countries. 63 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 10.1 The current scenario of Export sector in Bangladesh: Although the export sector of Bangladesh is not so strong. Each year Bangladesh faces negative BOP (balance of payment) as the amount of import exceeds the amount of exports. Bangladesh earns 16204.65 million US$ in 2009-2010 by exporting woven garments, leather goods, frozen food, raw jute and jute goods etc. (In million US$) 2007-2008 14110.80 (15.87) 2008-2209 15565.19 (+10.31) 2009-2010 16204.65 (4.11) Annual Exports Source: Export Promotion Bureau Note: - Figures in brackets indicate percentage changes over the corresponding period of the previous year. 10.2 The exportable products of Bangladesh: When the respondents are asked what are the products of Bangladesh that you think exportable 22% of the native respondents say manpower followed by handicrafts (17%), leather and leather goods (12%), jute (12%), potteries (10%), RMG (7%), and shrimp (7%). (Chart 24 and Appendix: Table 28) 64 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 24 :The Exportable Products of Bangladesh stated by ntive people 5% 7% 7% 2% 2% 2% 2% Manpower 22% Handicrafts Leather & Leather Goods Jute Potteries 17% Ready Made Garments(RMG) Shrimp Zamdani 10% 12% 12% Vegetables Tea On the other hand, 19.2% of the foreigner respondents say manpower and RMG followed by fruits and fishes (11.5%), Leather and leather goods (11.5%), handicrafts (7.7%), potteries (7.7%) and jute (7.7%). (Chart 25 and Appendix: Table 29) Chart 25: The Exportable Products of Bangladesh stated by foreigners 19.2 19.2 11.5 11.5 7.7 7.7 7.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 65 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Although most of the respondents say that Bangladesh can export manpower. In today‘s scenario, RMG dominates the export sector as we can see the highest amount of export earnings come from knitwear and woven garments. (In million US$) Particulars Raw Jute Jute goods Tea Frozen food Leather Woven garments Knitwear Chemical products Agricultural products Engine. & Electro. goods Others Total Source: Major Economic Indicators, Bangladesh Bank, 2010 FY 2009-2010 Value 196.27 534.48 5.65 437.40 226.10 6013.43 6483.29 102.87 116.47 333.85 1754.84 16204.65 10.3 The factors that give Bangladesh competitive advantage in RMG Sector: Chart 26 and 27 reveal that, most of the respondents say that cheap labor is factor that gives Bangladesh competitive advantage in RMG sector. Quality is the second factor that gives competitive advantage in RMG sector. (Appendix: Table 30 and 31) 66 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 26: Factors that give Bangladesh competitive advantage in RMG sector stated by native people Chart 27:Factors that give Bangladesh competitive advantage in RMG sector stated by foreigners 21% 68.2 27.3 4.5 79% Cheap Labor Quality Cheap Labor Quality Government Policy 10.4 The country of origin that is more precious to the respondents in South Asia: Chart 28 reveals that 93.3% of the native respondents say that they prefer the products of Bangladesh. But on the other hand, 80% of the foreigners say they prefer the products that are made in India. (Appendix: Table 32 and 33) Chart 28 : Peoples' perception about which country of origin is more precious in South Asia stated by native people 93.3 Chart 29: Peoples' perception about which country of origin is more precious in South Asia stated by foreigners Made in India Made in Bangladesh 20% 6.7 80% Made in Bangladesh Made in India 67 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 10.5 Recommendations: RMG of Bangladesh enjoys cheap labor as competitive advantage in the world market. But as Al Ries said that a nation can sell anything if it is cheap enough. But a country cannot sustain this as competitive advantage. As a country continues to sell cheap products on the world, its economy improves, wages go up and those cheap products get more expensive. The products of Bangladesh sell under the brand name of other countries. So the people around the world do not know the country of origin of those products. So it is important to create brand that will denote the country of origin of the product. For hundreds of years, Eastern Bengal was known for its fine muslin and silk fabric. The dyes, yarn and cloth were the envy of the premodern world. Bengali muslin, silk and brocade were worn by the aristocracy of Asia and Europe. These are powerful perceptions that can help build a Bangladesh textile brand. What a Bangladeshi entrepreneur needs to do is to work with a textile designer to create unique garments. Countries cannot make money with commodities. Countries can make money with brands. Brazil grows Coffee, but Switzerland grows coffee brands like Nescafe, the world‘s largest selling instant coffee. 68 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 11.1 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): A country‘s power to attract talent and capital is measured not only by whether people would consider studying, working and living in that country but also by the country‘s economic prosperity, equal opportunity, and ultimately the perception that it is a place with a high quality of life. The country‘s economic and business conditions – whether stagnant, declining, developing or forward-thinking – complete the measurement in this space. Foreign direct investment (FDI) refers to long term participation by country A into country B. It usually involves participation in management, joint-venture, transfer of technology and expertise. There are three types of FDI: inward foreign direct investment and outward foreign direct investment, resulting in a net FDI inflow (positive or negative) and "stock of foreign direct investment", which is the cumulative number for a given period. Foreign Direct Investment is the category of international investment that reflects the objective of a resident entity in one economy obtaining a lasting interest in an enterprise resident in another economy. (The resident entity is the direct investor and the enterprise is the direct investment enterprise.) The lasting interest implies the existence of a long-term relationship between the direct investor and the enterprise and a significant degree of influence by the investor on the management of the enterprise. Direct investment comprises not only the initial transaction establishing the relationship between the investor and the enterprise but also all subsequent transactions between them and among affiliated enterprises. 11.2 The trends of FDI inflow: Total FDI inflows decreased by US$ 24.06 million or 3.03% to US$ 768.69 million during the financial year FY-08 compared to the increase of US$ 48.14 million or 6.46% during financial year FY-07 and decrease of US$ 59.17 million or 7.36% during financial year FY-06. 69 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Source: Statistics Department Bangladesh Bank, 2010 11.3 The perceptions of people about Bangladesh as a business friendly nation: Chart 30 reveals that 73% of the native respondents think that Bangladesh is not a business friendly nation, while 27% of the respondents think Bangladesh as a business friendly nation.(Appendix: Table 34). On the other hand, chart 31 shows 57% of the foreigner respondents think that Bangladesh is not a business friendly country, while 43% think yes. (Appendix: Table 35) Chart 30:Bangladesh is a Business Friendly Nation stated by native people Chart 31: Bangladesh is a Business Friendly Nation stated by foreigners 27% Yes No 73% 57% Yes No 43% 11.4 Problems that limits the investment decision: Chart 32 illustrates that corruption is ranked first as the problem that limits the investment decision as stated by 30.0% of the native respondents followed by political unrest (26.0%), 70 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh insufficient capital (18.0%), lack of government support (15.0%), bureaucracy(7.0%) and lack of infrastructure (4.0%). (Appendix: Table 36) Chart 32: The Problems that limits the Investment Decision stated by native people 7% 4% 15% Corruption 30% Political Unrest Insufficient Capital Lack of Government Support Bureaucracy 18% 26% Infrastructure Chart 33 demonstrates that lack of infrastructure is ranked first as the problem that limits the investment decision as stated by 23.0% of the foreigners followed by corruption (18%), lack of government policy and support (18.0%), bureaucracy (14.0%) and political unrest (9.0%). (Appendix: Table 37) Chart 33:The Problems that Limits the Investment Decision stated by foreigners Infrastructure 9% 14% 23% Corruption Insufficient Capital Lack of Government Policy & Support Bureaucracy Political Unrest 18% 18% 18% 11.5 Word association that best describes the current economic and business condition of Bangladesh: Chart 34 and 35 show the adjectives that are most commonly selected to describe country‘s current economic and business conditions. Bangladesh is most associated with developing 71 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh (67.0%), forward thinking (13.0%), stagnant (13.0%) and backward (7.0%) by the native people. (Appendix: Table 38). On the other hand, Bangladesh is most associated with developing (80.0%) and stagnant (20.0%) by the foreigners. (Appendix: Table 39) Chart 34:The adjectives that best describe the current economic & business conditions of Bangladesh stated by native people Chart 35:The Adjectives that best describe the current economic & business conditions of Bangladesh stated by foreigners 80 13% 13% 7% Developing ForwardThinking 67% Stagnant Backward Developing Stagnant 20 11.6 Recommendations: Improvement in the infrastructure will increase the investment in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now suffering from power shortages. To solve this problem public private partnership is essential. Insufficient capital in our country limits the investment decision. Government should take steps so that people will be encouraged to deposit money in banks. It will take a long time to start a new business or invest in some area because of bureaucracy. Necessary steps should be taken to reduce the time of getting formal approval. Government should take initiative to make more business friendly policy so that foreign investors will be encouraged to invest in Bangladesh. 72 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 12.1 Government of Bangladesh : This aspect incorporates perceived competency and honesty of government, respect for citizens‘ rights and fair treatment, as well as global behavior in the areas of international peace and security, environmental protection, and world poverty reduction. Bangladesh is a unitary state and parliamentary democracy. Direct elections in which all citizens, aged 18 or over, can vote are held every five years for the unicameral parliament known as Jatiya Sangsad. The parliamentary building is known as the Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban and was designed by architect Louis Kahn. Currently the parliament has 345 members including 45 reserved seats for women, elected from single-member constituencies. The Prime Minister, as the head of government, forms the cabinet and runs the day-to-day affairs of state. While the Prime Minister is formally appointed by the President, he or she must be an MP who commands the confidence of the majority of parliament. The President is the head of state but mainly a ceremonial post elected by the parliament. The Constitution of Bangladesh was drafted in 1972 and has undergone fourteen amendments. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court. Justices are appointed by the President. Laws are loosely based on English common law, but family laws such as marriage and inheritance are based on religious scripts, and therefore differ between religious communities. 12.2 Foreign policy and military: Bangladesh pursues a moderate foreign policy that places heavy reliance on multinational diplomacy, especially at the United Nations. In 1974 Bangladesh joined both the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations and has since been elected to serve two terms on the Security Council in 1978–1979 and 2000–2001. In the 1980s, Bangladesh played a lead role in founding the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in order to expand relations with other South Asian states. Since the founding of SAARC 1985, a Bangladeshi has held the post of Secretary General on two occasions. 73 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh The current strength of the army is around 200,000 including reservists, the air force 22,000, and navy 14,950. In addition to traditional defense roles, the military has been called on to provide support to civil authorities for disaster relief and internal security during periods of political unrest. Bangladesh is not currently active in any ongoing war, but it did contribute 2,300 troops to the coalition that fought in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Bangladesh is consistently a top contributor to UN peacekeeping forces around the world. As of May 2007, Bangladesh had major deployments in Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sudan; Presently Bangladesh is the largest troop contributor country to the UN. 12.3 The perceptions of people about the government of Bangladesh: Chart 36 shows that 33.3% of the native respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statements that the current government policy is friendly to do business in Bangladesh. (Appendix: Table 40). The similar result is found as the chart 37 reveals that 66% of the foreigners neither agree nor disagree with the statement. (Appendix: Table 41) Chart 36:The current government policy is friendly to do business in Bangladesh stated by native people 33.3 20 13.3 13.3 20 Chart 37:The current government policy is friendly to do business in Bangladesh stated by foreigners 7% 7% Disagree 20% Somewhat Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree 66% Somewhat Agree Chart 38 reveals that 40% of native respondents strongly agree that political instability is one of the major causes for reducing investment in Bangladesh. (Appendix: Table 42) 74 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 38:Political instability is one of the major causes for reducing investment in Bangladesh stated by native people 40 26.7 26.7 6.7 Extremely Agree Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Disagree 12.4 Possible ways to lessen Corruption: Chart 39 demonstrates that all the respondents (100.0%) agree that corruption hampers our economic growth. (Appendix: Table 43) Chart 39:Corruption hampers our economic growth stated by native people 100 0 Yes No Chart 40 shows that the increase of the amount of salary could lessen the corruption as stated by stated by 30.0% of the respondents followed by create religious awareness and morality(24.0%), appropriate application of current law (20.0%), improvement of vocational training and employment (10.0%), improvement in police department (7.0%). (Appendix: Table 44) 75 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 40:The Possible Ways to Lessen the Corruption stated by native people Increase Salary Create Religious Awareness & Morality Application of Current law 10% Improvement of Vocational Training & Employment Improvement of Police Department Create more Code of Ethics 20% 24% Taking Necessary Steps to Lessen Poverty Complain Box which will be opened by the Authority 3% 3% 3% 30% Chart 41 shows that 46.7% of the native respondents somewhat disagree with the statement that the Government of Bangladesh Respects the Rights of Citizens & Treats them with Fairness. (Appendix: Table 45) Similar result is found in the chart 42 that states 20.0% of the foreigners somewhat disagree with the statements. (Appendix: Table 46) 76 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 41:The Government of Bangladesh Respects the Rights of Citizens & Treats them with Fairness stated by native people 46.7 33.3 6.7 6.7 6.7 40% Chart 42 :The Government of Bangladesh Respects the Rights of Citizens & Treats them with Fairness stated by foreigners 7% 7% 13% 13% Somewhat Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Extremely Disagree Disagree 20% Chart 44 shows that 53.0% of the native respondents somewhat agree with the statement that The Government of Bangladesh Behaves Responsibly in the Area of International Peace and Security. (Appendix: Table 47). Chart 45 states that 66.0% of the foreigners neither agree nor disagree with the statement. (Appendix: Table 48) Chart 43:The Government of Bangladesh Behaves Responsibly in the Area of International Peace and Security stated by native people Extremely Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Extremely Agree Chart 44 :The Government of Bangladesh Behaves Responsibly in the Area of International Peace and Security stated by foreigners Disagree 7% 20% 7% 13% 7% 7% 7% 13% Somewhat Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree 53% 66% 77 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh Chart 45 shows that 33.3% of the native respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statement that The Government of Bangladesh behaves responsibly to protect the environment. (Appendix: Table 49). On the other hand, chart 46 states that 39.0% of the foreigners disagree and 38.0% of the foreigners neither agree nor disagree with the statement. (Appendix: Table 50) Chart 45 :The Government of Bangladesh Behaves Responsibly to Protect the Environment stated by native people Chart 46: The Government of Bangladesh Behaves Responsibly to Protect the Environment stated by foreigners 26.7 6.7 13.3 33.3 13.3 8% 6.7 15% 38% Extremely Disagree Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree 39% 12.5 Governance Word Associations: Table 48 and 49 show the government of Bangladesh is negatively associated. The negative adjectives that the respondents use are corrupt, unpredictable and unstable. (Appendix: Table 51 and 52) Chart 47 : Perception of People when They Think of Government of Bangladesh stated by native people Chart 48: Perception of People when Foreigners Think of Government of Bangladesh stated by foreigners 60 20 20 20% 7% Corrupt Unstable 73% Unpredictable 78 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 12.6 Recommendations: The proper application of current law will reduce the corruption in Bangladesh. Political stability is another factor that can enhance the image of Bangladesh globally. Bangladesh is known as a country of political unrest. It is important to ensure political stability to enhance global image and to attract more investment. Over population, poverty, corruption, unemployment, power shortage etc. are the major problems that the government of Bangladesh are facing now. In spite of these problems the achievement of Bangladesh is not few. Recently Bangladesh received an UN award for its remarkable achievements in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) particularly in reducing child mortality rate. But the positive achievements of Bangladesh are not given so much importance. The positive achievements should be promoted with and across the country. Media is also liable for spreading out the negative news. Based on an exhaustive survey Professor Farhat Anwar pointed out the negative attitude of the media as one of the main causes behind the failure in presenting Bangladesh in its true perspective. "About 53 percent of front page news reports in most of our newspapers are all negative, full of slurs on our people, leaders and institutions and 93 percent of young people are tired of reading and viewing negative news and shy away from both the electronic and printing news media out of their sheer frustrations. Of newspaper subscribers 63 percent read only headlines". He urged upon all and sundry to project Bangladesh, its culture, its products, its beauties, its strengths and also its weaknesses with a positive attitude in our news, views, political statements and personal chit-chats. 79 Measuring Perceptions of people and identifying constraints of Branding Bangladesh 13.0 Conclusion: 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 communities to convince tourists and investors to visit our home. 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