Rise of creative industry
The size and scope of the country's creative industry is on a steady rise. It is now an estimated 120 billion taka industry. It employs at least 300 thousand people at present.
The creative industry comprises radio and television advertisements, event management and public relations, digital media companies, software, mobile apps, animation, movies, plays and programmes of the entertainment industry and so on. While these are viewed as separate sectors in the country, in other countries these are seen together as the creative industry. In many countries this creative economy is massive.
India is far ahead of Bangladesh in the creative industry. A research conducted by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) projected that their creative industry in 2011 would generate an estimated 738 billion rupees. The previous year it had been 652 billion rupees.
Syed Gausul Alam, Managing Director of Grey Advertising Bangladesh, tells Prothom Alo, "We are reached a creative age where many of us make a living by selling our intellect. Even 15 years ago this was unthinkable. Our creative industry is not that large, but it is growing."
Advertising: For a few decades now advertisements have been made for radio and television. Then there are billboards and newspaper ads. There are over 500 advertising agencies in Bangladesh, ranging in size and standard. About 10 to 16 of these agencies control half of the country's entire advertising market. This sector employs about 10 thousand people.
According to the Advertising Agencies Association of Bangladesh (AAB), the advertising market in Bangladesh is of about 2.5 million to 3 million taka. Munir Ahmed Khan, general secretary of the association and Chairman of ad agency Unitrend, says that the market for advertising is growing in volume by 10% a year.
In some cases the ad agencies make the advertisements themselves, in some cases they use production houses. There are about 15 large production houses that make advertisements. All together, large and small, there are about 60 such production houses making advertisements. Just 10 years ago 30% of the commercials would be made in India. Now 99% are made locally.
Event management and public relations: Advertising is no longer limited to radio and television or other conventional means. Advertising now takes the form of promotional programmes, brand activation, public relations and more.
Event management companies have sprouted up all over the country. There are about 40 medium and large event management companies and many small ones. These companies offer a range of services including organising concerts, press conferences, annual general meetings (AGMs), indoor events like weddings, parties and much more. Even the massive event to inaugurate the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 was managed by a private event management company.
Certain public relations companies also arrange such events. Basically they carry out publicity campaigns for various companies. There are five large public relations companies in the country.
Digital media: Concerned persons say that the digital media companies are now the most prospective. Ad agencies are turning to digital systems in order to reach the Internet and smart phone users in the country. Focus is being placed on the younger generation as they constitute most of the online users. In fact, one of the digital media companies is even named Bagher Bachcha Digital, meaning Tiger Cub Digital!
Ferdous Hasan, Executive Director of Asiatic Marketing, says, "Anyone who doesn't go digital in this line of work, will certainly fall back. In the US, 50% of the advertisement revenue comes from the digital media. In Bangladesh this is very low, but in the next five years 15% to 20% of the advertisement revenue will come from this means."
Entertainment industry: As Bangla movies now use digital technology, the younger generation is becoming more interested in film making. The prospects in this industry have increased considerably too. Bangladesh now screens full length films and short films and documentary films at the various international film festivals held around the world. The local movie Shuntey Ki Pao won an award at the Grand Prix film festival in France. Films are even being sold overseas now.
There is a growing interest in making TV dramas, telefilms, entertainment programmes, documentary films, reality shows, documentaries and so on. The Television Programme Producers Association of Bangladesh has over 175 members. Outside of that, there are about 400 companies that make such programmes.
The association's general secretary and theatre personality Tarek Anam says that about 5 billion taka is invested in television dramas every year. Investment in making other TV programmes constitutes another 3 billion taka approximately.
Over one billion taka is invested in the audio industry annually.
Software and animation: Software is now a huge field of creativity. Over 750 companies in this sector are members of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS). These companies employ about 100 thousand persons. There are over 150 companies in this sector outside of BASIS. Again, there are about 70 thousands freelancers in the sector.
According to BASIS, the software industry of the country, both in local market and exports, generates about 78 billion taka a year.
Senior Vice President of BASIS Tasleem Ahmed says, "Software is one of the most rapidly expanding sectors of the country. People are coming forward to work in animation, mobile apps, graphics and other such creative fields."