Overview
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a South Asian country of about 176 million people on the Bay of Bengal, with Dhaka as its capital and largest city. Covering roughly 147,600 km², it lies largely in the delta of the Padma (Ganges) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers and is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Bangladesh borders India and Myanmar. Its political system has undergone major changes over the past several decades. The territory became part of Pakistan as East Pakistan in 1947 and gained independence in 1971. Parliamentary democracy was restored in 1991 after periods of military rule. Following major political upheaval in 2024, an interim government oversaw parliamentary elections in 2026, marking another significant political transition. Bangladesh is also notable for its low-lying terrain and exposure to cyclones and flooding, with forests covering about 15% of its land, including part of the Sundarbans mangrove forest. Bengali is the official language, and Islam is the predominant religion, alongside Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and other faiths.
Bangladesh remains a lower-middle-income economy in which garment exports and remittances play an important role in employment and the external balance. Ready-made garments account for more than three-quarters of merchandise exports, and Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest garment exporter. Services account for more than half of GDP, while agriculture accounts for about 11% of GDP and employs about 44% of the workforce. Remittances were equivalent to 7.4% of GDP in 2025. In 2025, Bangladesh’s GDP per capita was approximately US$2,597, and real GDP grew by 3.5%.
Source: World Bank. (2026). World Development Indicators, from https://data.worldbank.org/country/bangladesh
Institutions
Institutions with at least one Faculty Member Registered with Ivey Publishing
- Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
- American International University - Bangladesh
- Asa University Bangladesh
- Asian University for Women
- Asian University of Bangladesh
- Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology
- Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University
- Bangladesh Agricultural University
- Bangladesh Islami University
- Bangladesh National University
- Bangladesh Open University
- Bangladesh University
- Bangladesh University of Business and Technology
- Bangladesh University of Professionals
- Begum Gulchemonara Trust University
- Begum Rokeya University Rangpur
- BRAC University
- Central Women's University
- Chittagong Independent University
- Comilla University
- Daffodil International University
- Darul Ihsan University
- Dhaka International University
- East Delta University
- East West University
- Eastern University (Bangladesh)
- Green University of Bangladesh
- Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University
- IBAIS University
- Independent University
- International University of Business Agriculture and Technology
- Islamic University of Technology
- Jagannath University
- Jahangirnagar University
- Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
- Jessore Science and Technology University
- Khulna University
- Leading University
- Manarat International University
- Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University
- Metropolitan University
- Military Institute of Science and Technology
- Noakhali Science & Technology University
- North South University
- Northern University Bangladesh
- Pabna University of Science and Technology
- People's University of Bangladesh
- Premier University
- Prime University
- Queens University (Bangladesh)
- Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
- Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
- Southern University Bangladesh
- Stamford University Bangladesh
- State University of Bangladesh
- United International University
- University of Asia Pacific
- University of Chittagong
- University of Development Alternative
- University of Dhaka
- University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
- University of Rajshahi
- University of Science & Technology Chittagong
- University of South Asia Bangladesh
- University of South-East Asia
- World University of Bangladesh
Source: Ivey Publishing. 39C Accounts by Country. Provided by Adrianna Gleam-Fossaceca, Ivey Publishing, August 11, 2026.
Cases
Ivey-Copyrighted Cases in or involving Bangladesh
Ivey Publishing and the 39 Country Initiative welcome additional case submissions that deepen understanding of Bangladesh’s businesses, institutions, industries, and broader economic and social context.
| Case | Authors | Published / Revised | Product Number | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gokaldas Exports Limited: Navigating Shifting Trade Winds | Anita Singh, Veena Keshav Pailwar | Aug 5, 2026 | W50095 | 18 |
| Where Have You Been? An Exercise to Assess Your Exposure to the Rest of the World’s Peoples | Paul W. Beamish | Nov 27, 2025 | W48085 | 11 |
| PriyoShop: A Consumer Goods Platform Start-Up at a Strategic Crossroads | Samer Elhajjar, Razy Shah | Sep 5, 2025 | W44822 | 8 |
| From Bengal to the World: PRAN’s Blueprint for International Growth | Mohammad Osman Gani, Rahat Ahmed Shimanto, Anisur R. Faroque, Lasse Torkkeli | Jul 15, 2025 | W44214 | 18 |
| Vodafone Idea Merger - Unpacking IS Integration Strategies | Himanshu Shekhar Mahanta, Ambuj Anand | Feb 11, 2025 | W41351 | 7 |
| Madras Crocodile Bank Trust: Sustainable Survival Challenges | Vijayabaskar M, Manoj Gour Chintaluri, Lubza Nihar, Santanu Mandal | Jul 11, 2024 | W36676 | 9 |
| Brandix: Strategy for Environmental Sustainability | Karthika S, Amit Chakrabarti | Jan 9, 2024 | W34178 | 14 |
| Doodlage: Toward a Sustainable Future | Swati Singh, Kartikeya Singh | Jul 27, 2022 | W27322 | 15 |
| Padhy Leather: Minimizing Commercial Risk through a Letter of Credit | D.N. Panigrahi | Jun 8, 2018 | 9B18N010 | 11 |
| BRAC: Shasthya Shebikas’ Role in Delivering Health Care Service to Rural Markets | Sanal Kumar Velayudhan, Sayeda Shabukta Malik, Kaosar Afsana | Dec 7, 2017 | 9B17A065 | 14 |
| bKash: Financial Technology Innovation for Emerging Markets | Ishtiaq P. Mahmood, Marleen Dieleman, Narmin Tartila | Jun 28, 2017 | 9B17M097_P | 15 |
| Indus OS: Revolution Through Incremental Innovation | Arpita Agnihotri, Saurabh Bhattacharya | May 16, 2017 | 9B17M074 | 12 |
| Joe Fresh: Ethical Sourcing | Jaana Woiceshyn, Norm Althouse, Nigel Goodwin | Feb 16, 2016 | 9B16M023 | 11 |
| Walton: Building a Global Brand Through Internationalization | Mohammad Bakhtiar Rana, Mohammad Tarikul Islam, Nikhilesh Dholakia | Feb 12, 2016 | 9B16A001 | 15 |
| The Children’s Place, Inc.: Challenges in a Post-Rana Plaza World | Ram Subramanian | Jun 10, 2015 | 9B15M062_P | 12 |
| Contrasting China’s Yunan Model with Bangladesh’s Yunus Model for Microfinance | Yuping Du, Randall O. Chang, Meng Wu, Chun Li | Jul 5, 2013 | 9B13N012_P | 9 |
| Loblaw Inc. and Rana Plaza | Michael Sider | Jun 20, 2013 | 9B13M071 | 4 |
| The War for Talent in China | Janet DeSilva | Sep 1, 2012 | 9B12TE11_P | 9 |
| Baring Private Equity Partners India Limited: Banking Services for the Poor in Bangladesh | Ram Kumar Kakani, Munish Thakur | Sep 16, 2009 | 9B09M052_P | 23 |
| Eastern Bank Limited (A) | Terry H. Deutscher, Kaiser Islam | Oct 13, 2004; revised Oct 7, 2009 | 9B04A030 | 17 |
Source: Ivey Publishing. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/
Workshops
Workshops Provided to Institutions in Bangladesh
The 39 Country Initiative’s most substantial outreach to date has centered on faculty development through in-person case-teaching workshops. The first workshop series in Bangladesh ran from July 7–10, 2025. Romel Mostafa, Assistant Professor of International Business at Ivey, led 5 in-person workshops in Chittagong and Dhaka at
− Chittagong Independent University
− University of Chittagong
− University of Dhaka
− American International University-Bangladesh
− BRAC University.
Photos from the workshop series can be found at https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/39country/news/2025/07/workshop-series-bangladesh.
The workshops at the University of Chittagong, the University of Dhaka, and BRAC University were attended by approximately 50, 49, and 69 faculty members, respectively. Following the University of Dhaka workshop, Md Saimum Hossain of the Department of Finance reported that the session was well received by faculty and that the leadership of the Faculty of Business Studies was keen to integrate the case method into its program. The 39 Country Initiative also supports online case-teaching activities as part of its broader outreach. Opportunities remain to extend this engagement beyond in-person workshops and reach a wider number of institutions in Bangladesh.
The 39 Country Initiative also collects donated books, journals, and business cases and ships them to higher education institutions in the countries it serves. The Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Chittagong received about 10 tons of educational material, including books, from Ivey Business School and the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor in July 2024.
Source: 39 Country Initiative. Book Shipments. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/39country/about/book-shipments/