Business Sectors in Bangladesh that have not been Affected by the Pandemic

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The ongoing Corona pandemic has brought the world economy to the brink of collapse.  From business to trade, almost all areas of busy life have been completely stagnant for a long time. Although the stagnation is slowly receding, it has largely pushed the global economy backwards. Almost all types of trade and commerce around the world, including Bangladesh, have been going through perhaps the most difficult time in history. While it is a bit easier for big companies to bridge this gap, it will not be that easy for small and medium enterprises. In addition, there are some businesses (especially sole-proprietorships) that are completely shut down during the great lockdown of pandemic. Generally, any major pandemic is a threat to both — human lives and their livelihoods, and this corona pandemic has emerged as a curse for all businesses. As this is the situation, a question may arise whether there is any business that has survived the onslaught of this pandemic!

“Businesses that have not been affected by the Corona pandemic” – when asked about this, most of us will probably think about the pharmaceuticals or medical business first. In fact, there are actually some particular sectors in which the Corona pandemic could not completely inflict. Yes, although these sectors are indirectly or partially invaded – mostly because of the dependence on some factors of the external environment, it has been possible to prevent it largely by taking alternative measures for special circumstances. In this article, we will highlight some of the businesses in Bangladesh that have not been affected by the pandemic.

Businesses that have not been affected by the Corona pandemic in Bangladesh:

1. Pharmaceutical Industry

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most high-tech industries in Bangladesh.  At present, the pharmaceutical market of Bangladesh is around Tk 23,000 crore. The sector meets 98% of the country’s demand and also exports medicines to more than 160 countries of the world. And the demand for medicine as an essential and life-saving product has not diminished during this pandemic, but in most cases it has increased. Although in some cases the manufacturers could not meet the market demand on time due to insufficient raw materials and logistics problems, it did not create any major deficit in the market. But in order to fulfill the demand at the fastest time as an emergency service, many pharmaceutical companies have continued their activity in full swing. The top pharmaceutical companies of the country have done quite a very good deal of business up to the third quarter of this year compared to the same period of the previous year. Again according to industry experts, companies whose profit margins are lower than the target will be able to meet their target by reducing some administrative, marketing and research costs. Since trading resumes in the country’s capital markets after the lockdown of pandemic, the shares of the pharmaceutical companies are at the top of the investor’s demand.

2. Medical & Health-protection materials

The use of masks and other personal protective materials to prevent infection with the Covid-19 virus has become more important all over the world. At the same time, it’s very important to use hand sanitizer and soap regularly to stay germ free. That is why the businesses involved in the production and sale of these health-care products are currently in the most favorable position. Just as these companies have begun mass production of medical and health-care materials during the epidemic, so did many other companies have brought new health-care products to the market. Many companies involved in the ready-made garments industry, one of the major industries in Bangladesh, currently produce and supply various medical protection items such as masks, personal protective equipment (PPE) and surgical gowns for doctors and nurses. Again, a number of local companies focus only on making and selling masks and hand-gloves. During this pandemic, health-care products are the most sought after the essential commodities. The companies involved in the production and sale of various types of disinfectants such as hand sanitizers, hand washes, cleaners, etc. also have not been affected in the pandemic, but in many cases they are struggling to meet the market demand.

3. E-commerce and Delivery Services

E-commerce and home delivery services are the main hope when it is unsuitable to go out of the house to avoid the pandemic. Although people in our country are not widely accustomed to online shopping, the demand for online shopping and various delivery services has increased at this time. Due to the closure of all retail outlets during the lockdown, many people choose different e-commerce sites to buy their daily necessities, medicines and other things. As a result, the business of e-commerce sector in the country has widely expanded as well as the business of companies involved in product delivery. So the effect of the pandemic for these businesses is quite positive. Again, many people buy food online despite going to restaurants due to the pandemic. Thus, the demand for various food delivery services also increases. Similarly, courier and parcel services in the country are not affected by the pandemic. Large courier services that transport business goods continue their services to ensure uninterrupted supply.

4. Warehouse & Cold Storage Facilities

Cold Storages are very common in almost all areas of our country. It’s the kind of warehouse where goods are kept in refrigeration. And this is why we can get one seasonal food or fruit in another season or throughout the year. Cold Storages are largely responsible for reducing food wastage in our country. In a time of any emergency like this pandemic, when the supply chain breaks, preservation facilities are much more needed. And cold storages are imperative for preserving perishable products. Similarly, non-perishable goods and industrial products storing warehouses are very essential for safeguarding logistics during a pandemic. Thus, instead of getting into a crisis in the pandemic, cold storage and warehouse facilities are heavily demanded now. Currently, there are 400 cold storages listed in the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA). In addition to these, several other companies also provide warehouse facilities. All of these companies are playing a vital role for reducing business losses in this pandemic.

5. IT Firms & Consultants

Since the country is progressing in information-technology, the number of different companies in the technology sector is also increasing. At present, there are a good number of IT firms in our country that provide different IT services like — Cybersecurity, Web Development, Web Hosting & Maintenance, Data Management & Security, Software Development, Network & Infrastructure, Cloud Products & Services and other IT supports. Although these companies were closed during the lockdown like all other companies, many IT firms have been able to continue their activities as online service providers. Since many of their services are online-based, their employees have been able to manage their work from home in time of the lockdown. As a result, they did not have to put off all their activities for a long time like many other companies during the pandemic. 

Anaet Ullah Biswas

Student | Business Administration,

Mawlana Bhashani Science & Technology University.

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  1. A big thank you for your post. Really looking forward to read more. Want more. Timmy Munnerlyn

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