Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO)
Definition
Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO)
The Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO) is the trade body for the country’s contact center and outsourcing firms. Set up in Dhaka in 2011, it speaks for more than 350 member firms on policy, promotion and export growth.
The association works alongside the Bangladesh ICT Division, the ministry arm that runs the Digital Bangladesh programme. Together they press for tax incentives, export facilitation and stronger connectivity.
BACCO also runs BPO Summit Bangladesh, the country’s largest outsourcing industry event. Its remit reaches from domestic call centre floors to firms exporting knowledge and IT services, which gives it a wide platform to shape how the sector grows.
Key takeaways
- BACCO is Bangladesh’s official trade association for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), contact center and IT-enabled service providers, based in Dhaka.
- Founded in 2011, it represents more than 350 member companies across the country.
- It co-runs BPO Summit Bangladesh with the ICT Division to put member firms in front of foreign buyers.
- Sector revenue climbed from about USD 160 million to over USD 300 million between 2015 and 2018, close to a doubling in three years.
- Membership runs across general, associate and affiliate tiers, with full voting rights reserved for general members.
How it works
BACCO is the institutional bridge between Bangladesh’s outsourcing firms and the state. Founded in 2011 and speaking for over 350 members, it negotiates policy, sells the country’s talent story to foreign buyers and certifies firms so buyers can vet capability.
It pushes for tax breaks, export incentives and stronger digital infrastructure — the three asks member firms need if they are to compete with India and the Philippines on more than price.
BACCO sits inside the government’s Digital Bangladesh agenda, work the United Nations Development Programme has tracked as a driver of youth employment.
The association’s job is turning that policy vision into contracts that land in Dhaka and Chattogram. Policy wins only count once a member firm signs something.
Day to day, BACCO handles three things — sector advocacy, member services and export promotion. It publishes salary and cost benchmarks, runs training partnerships and organises trade missions to the US, UK and Middle East.
Certification carries weight because Bangladesh is still a challenger market. A buyer comparing Dhaka with Manila or Bengaluru has far less public data to work from, so a member list checked once a year does real commercial work.
Membership structure
Membership sits in three tiers. General members are BPO or contact center firms operating in Bangladesh with full voting rights. Associate members are IT service or call center firms with partial rights.
Affiliate members are supporting vendors — training providers, hardware suppliers, connectivity firms — with no vote but full access to member events.
| Member tier | Who qualifies | Voting rights |
|---|---|---|
| General | Bangladeshi BPO or contact center operator | Full |
| Associate | IT service or call center firm | Partial |
| Affiliate | Vendor, trainer or supplier | None |
Fees scale with tier, and annual renewal requires proof of active operation. That keeps the voting base tied to firms with real work on the floor rather than dormant registrations.
Examples
BACCO’s record since 2011 shows up in four concrete places: the BPO Summit Bangladesh series, its largest member firms, an International Telecommunication Union citation in 2018, and a World Bank Digital Bangladesh review in 2022.
| Year | Milestone | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | BACCO launches in Dhaka | Gives the sector one recognised voice with government |
| 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 | BPO Summit Bangladesh editions | Buyers from over 20 countries met members in Dhaka |
| 2015 to 2018 | Sector revenue rises from about USD 160 million to over USD 300 million | Close to a doubling in three years |
| 2018 | International Telecommunication Union spotlight | Third-party validation for pitches to European buyers |
| 2022 | World Bank Digital Bangladesh review | Member data used to track service exports |
| 2011 to today | Membership grows past 350 firms | Gives BACCO standing when it lobbies the ICT Division |
BPO Summit Bangladesh. The 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 editions brought foreign buyers from over 20 countries to Dhaka, with BACCO handling the buyer-side matchmaking and the ICT Division co-hosting.
Fair Connect and Genex Infosys. Two of BACCO’s largest general members. Fair Connect runs voice campaigns for domestic banks and telecoms, while Genex handles multilingual customer support for regional clients.
International Telecommunication Union recognition, 2018. The ITU spotlighted Bangladesh’s outsourcing rise, a citation BACCO then used to pitch the country as a viable nearshore and offshore destination for European buyers.
World Bank Digital Bangladesh review, 2022. It drew on BACCO member data in tracking the sector’s contribution to service exports, which handed the association external validation for later policy asks.
Related terms
These terms describe what BACCO members sell and how the work gets delivered. The cluster covers service categories and delivery models, not Bangladesh’s policy vocabulary, which belongs to the ICT Division rather than the association.
- Business Process Outsourcing (BPO): parent category covering back-office functions contracted to a third party.
- Contact Center: omnichannel operation handling voice, chat, email and social customer contact.
- Call Center: voice-only operation focused on inbound or outbound telephone campaigns.
- Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO): contracted delivery of software, infrastructure or application support work.
- Offshoring: moving business functions to a distant country to cut cost or reach talent.
- Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO): higher-skill outsourced work such as legal research and analytics.
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): cross-border capital flow BACCO courts to expand member firm capacity.
FAQ
Buyers new to Bangladesh ask the same five things about BACCO: what the letters stand for, when it started, who may join, what it actually does for members, and why any of it should matter to a foreign buyer.
What does BACCO stand for?
BACCO stands for the Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing. It is the national industry body for BPO, IT-enabled services and contact center firms in Bangladesh. Its own site uses “Contact Center”; some directories render it “Call Center”.
When was BACCO founded?
BACCO was launched in 2011 and is headquartered in Dhaka. It now speaks for more than 350 member firms and co-organises the country’s largest outsourcing trade events, including BPO Summit Bangladesh.
Who can join BACCO?
Any Bangladesh-based BPO, contact center, IT service or supporting vendor can apply. The general, associate and affiliate tiers set voting rights and fee levels. Renewal each year requires proof of active operation.
How does BACCO support the industry?
It lobbies government for policy and tax support, promotes members to foreign buyers, publishes cost benchmarks and runs trade missions. It also partners with training bodies and certifies member firms so buyers can check capability before signing.
Why does BACCO matter to foreign buyers?
Membership signals a vetted, active operator, so buyers weighing Bangladesh against India or the Philippines can shortlist through the association instead of cold-searching the market.
Explore how Bangladesh’s outsourcing sector measures up against its global peers with Outsource Accelerator.
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