e_Paper 1-12-2016

DT
12
Business
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
CAPITAL MARKET SNAPSHOT: WEDNESDAY
DSE Broad Index 4,801.2 0.2% ▲ Index 1,140.6 0.5% ▲ 30 Index 1,775.3 0.4% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 6,305.9 -22.0% ▼ Turnover in Mn Vol 201.5 -32.0% ▼
CSE All Share Index 14,778.2 0.0% ▲ 30 Index 13,178.9 -0.2% ▼ Selected Index 8,987.7 0.0% ▲ Turnover in Mn Tk 394.9 -14.2% ▼ Turnover in Mn Vol 14.4 -32.9% ▼
Huawei plans to be top smartphone
brand in Bangladesh by 2018
• Ishtiaq Husain
Huawei mobile company is a Chinese
multinational telecommunications
company with presence in
more than 170 countries. One-third
of the world’s population are said
to be using Huawei products and
solutions.
Ingmar Wang, director (device
business) of Huawei Technologies in
Bangladesh, has recently been interviewed
by Dhaka Tribune. Excerpts
from the interview are as follows.
How will you evaluate Huawei’s
performance in Bangladesh
market?
Huawei is the fastest growing
brand in Bangladesh. Though the
company has so far held 3% of the
market share, it is now the third
largest brand following Symphony
and Samsung in Bangladesh.
We, in fact, started Smartphone
business here just last year on a
large scale. Previously, we had a
limited production for the market.
Huawei is growing fast. Is it going
to overtake other competitors in
the market soon?
We want to be the number one
brand in Bangladesh by 2018. We
expect we will rise to the second
position next year.
Smartphone now accounts for
around 30% of the country’s mobile
phone market, which is growing
every year. The growth was
boosted especially after the launch
of the 3G mobile broadband.
Users of all ages are now having
smartphones as prices have become
reasonable. We believe that
there is an ample scope for the sector
to grow further. We can further
expand the marker to semi-urban
and rural areas. While now more
than half a million smartphone sets
are being sold a month, the number
may increase to 800,000 in next
couple of years.
Why did users respond so well?
First, this was because of our product
itself. People love our innovative
product designs. Our product
prices are also within reasonable
level compared to others.
We also have invested big
amounts in promotional campaign
and publicity. Star cricketer Shakib
Al Hasan is our partner in publicity
campaign. We already opened
nearly 350 outlets across the country.
Huawei has opened six service
Ingmar Wang, director (device business) of Huawei in Bangladesh, speaks to Dhaka Tribune recently
centres to provide post-sale customer
services. By the end of this
year, the number of service centres
will reach 13.
How did Huawei face competition
when it entered the market?
At the beginning, we faced a hard
competition from the brands
aleady existing. But we believed
that we could overcome by ensuring
quality. We understood that our
prices should be reasonable as other
brands had a bit high prices.
Does Huawei have any plan to set
up handset manufacturing plant in
Bangladesh?
Definitely we have a plan to open a
mobile phone handset plant here.
Huawei focuses on quality products.
We have handset test centres
in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen
of China. First we want to ensure
quality and so, before launching a
plant, we will set up a test centre.
India is quite a similar to that of
Bangladesh. Three years ago, when
I visited India, someone asked me
the same question about setting
up of factories. After 3 years, the
dream would come true in India.
How much the company
investments in its Research and
Development wing?
Every year Huawei invested 3% of
its total revenue in research and
development. We guarantee our
customers that we will offer them
the latest technology. For example,
we can offer the best speed due to
an agreement with google. Google
has chosen us because of our product
quality.
What are the challenges in this
market?
Grey market is one of the key challenges
that we see in the coming
days. We ask for strict policy and
proper enforcement in this regard.
High import duty is also another
challenge. If this can be kept within
a reasonable limit, we believe
the smartphone industry will grow
further in Bangladesh. Big competition
is in price as most of Bangladesh
consumers are sensitive to
price levels.
Do you have any good news for the
Bangladesh customers?
We are launching a new flagship
handset GR5 2017 for our Bangladeshi
customers. We will launch
the product on December 1, 2016 in
the market. Moreover, a new promotional
handset will be launched
jointly with Grameenphone,
MEHEDI HASAN
Banglalink and Robi with special
bundle offers. Besides, we are giving
customers SD cards, T-shirts and
selfie sticks as gifts with handsets.
Going beyond Bangladesh, where
does Huawei stand in the global
market?
I would say we are doing excellent
job in the global smartphone market.
In 2012 we launched the product.
We design our products so
they suit to the tastes of people of
all ages. In just two years, we rose
to the second position in global
market. Now we hope to be the top
global brand. •
Date to launch
limited tender
for China soon
• Asif Showkat Kallol
Bangladesh and China will jointly
announce the date for introducing
limited tender processing system
for Chinese firms soon to implement
the development projects in
Bangladesh with Chinese credits.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith
came up with the disclosure while
talking to the reporters after the
meeting of the Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs held at the
secretariat yesterday.
‘The limited tender
system is for the
China-funded
projects taken after
Aug 12, 2015’
Muhith said: “A total of seven
pending Chinese development projects
in Bangladesh will be executed
under the government-to-government
process.”
The cabinet committee has approved
a proposal to introduce
limited tender processing system
for Chinese firms to implement development
projects in Bangladesh
with Chinese credits.
According to the ERD proposal,
the limited tender system would
be applicable to the China-funded
projects taken after August 12, 2015
while direct procurement system
would be applied for the projects
taken before August 12, 2015.
Ministries and divisions will follow
the directives given by the cabinet
division in relation to the China-funded
development projects.
In the proposal, the ERD said:
“China has abstained from investing
in new Bangladeshi projects as
limited tender processing system
for the Chinese firms has not been
finalised yet.” •