Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO)

What is BACCO?

The Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO) was founded in 2011. It represents the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and call center industry in Bangladesh. 

The association is dedicated to achieving the Prime Minister’s ‘Digital Bangladesh Vision’ as a leading representative from the ICT sector. 

BACCO collaborates with all stakeholders to foster a supportive ecosystem that aims to generate 100,000 sustainable middle-income jobs for young people by 2025.

BACCO’s roles and objectives 

Since its inception, BACCO has been committed to fostering a conducive environment for growth and ensuring the industry aligns with national goals.

Its roles and objectives include:

• Ensure call center policies and regulations – BACCO diligently establishes and maintains comprehensive policies and regulations for call centers, ensuring their efficient and effective operation.
• Advocate for a fair operating environment – The association advocates for a fair and supportive operating environment across all government departments. They help create a level playing field for industry players.
• Promote BPO and contact center services globally – It actively promotes Bangladesh’s BPO and contact center services on the global stage, enhancing the country’s reputation and attracting international clients.
• Position Bangladesh as a competitive offshore destination – BACCO strives to make Bangladesh a major competitive offshore destination for international companies, leveraging the country’s strengths to attract foreign investments.
• Ensure good governance – BACCO is dedicated to establishing and maintaining good governance within the industry, ensuring transparency, accountability, and ethical practices.
• Generate sustainable employment – It assists in generating sustainable employment opportunities within the industry, contributing to economic growth, and providing middle-income jobs for Bangladesh’s youth.

BACCO’s BPO Summits

BACCO hosts various events, including the ‘BPO Summit Bangladesh,’ the biggest gathering of IT professionals. It was held in partnership with the ICT Division in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.

These summits have greatly helped the BPO industry grow, as shown by the revenue increase from USD 160 million to USD 300 million in 2018.

The government’s support, including incentivized local and international investments and other tax benefits, has been crucial in driving the growth of BPO in Bangladesh.

BACCO’s membership details

Organizations can follow the outlined steps and meet the required criteria to become members of the Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO). 

Here are the detailed guidelines:

Membership categories

BACCO offers two categories of membership: 

General member

Eligibility: Individuals, firms, joint stock companies, or associate bodies (local or foreign) engaged in call center operations or BPO in Bangladesh. 

They must have obtained a license or permission from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (BTRC) or another appropriate government authority.

Associate member

Eligibility: Individuals, firms, joint stock companies, or associate bodies (local or foreign) providing infrastructure and support services to call centers and/or BPO operations, as well as freelancers with a trade license. 

They must have obtained the necessary permissions or licenses from the appropriate government authority. Note that Associate Members do not have voting rights.

Membership certificate

Members receive a one-year valid “Membership Certificate” after clearing the annual fees. This certificate must be renewed each year by paying the annual fees.

Eligibility criteria

Firms or companies registered or incorporated in Bangladesh conducting business in call center software, services, hosted call center service provision, BPO, and/or associated services.

The main activities must include developing call center software and providing call center services or associated services for commercial purposes.

Terms and conditions

• Activities must not be detrimental to society or the law.
• Members must pay annual fees, admission fees, and any other levies decided by the Executive Committee on time.
• Members should be loyal to the ideals, aims, and objectives of the Association.
• Members must not engage in anti-state or anti-social activities.
• Members should not misuse the Association’s services for personal or company interests or interfere with its daily operations. Any grievances should be addressed to the President in writing.

Compliance

BACCO will annually review the operations of existing members to ensure they are actively engaged in BPO services. Members are required to submit a form to BACCO by January 31 each year.

Fee structure

• Admission fee: Tk. 10,000.00 for General Members and Tk. 7,000.00 for Associate Members (non-refundable).
• Annual subscription fee: Tk. 10,000.00 for General Members and Tk. 7,000.00 for Associate Members.

All payments must be made by pay order in favor of the Bangladesh Association of Call Center and Outsourcing.

Membership dues

Membership dues are payable in advance for a calendar year. They are due on January 1st and are payable by the end of February. 

Members who have not cleared their dues within six months will be disqualified from participating in any association proceedings.

Cessation of membership

• Members will be removed from the register if they fail to clear annual subscriptions within eight months from the due date.
• Members may resign with 30 days written notice after clearing any dues.
• The council can expel any member guilty of professional misconduct or violating association provisions after a fair hearing.
• Membership ceases if a member becomes insolvent, if their company goes into liquidation, or if they are no longer actively engaged in BPO services within the association’s scope.

Election/nomination to the Executive Council

• Members enrolled for more than 120 days with updated TIN, trade licenses, and cleared membership dues are eligible to vote. Each member has a single vote.
• The Executive Council, consisting of 12 members (11 General and 1 Associate), is elected for a two-year term. A member can serve up to six consecutive years.
• After the election, the 12 Executive Council members elect the office bearers among themselves by voting.