Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS)

What Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) does

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) is the statutory national trade body for Bangladesh's software and IT-enabled services industry, founded in 1998 in Dhaka. Under the Government Gazette of 2 September 2020, BASIS membership is mandatory for any software/ITES company operating in Bangladesh and for participation in any government or non-government procurement, giving the association an effective monopoly on industry representation. As of the latest disclosed figures, BASIS has 2,882 members across General, Associate, Affiliate, and International tiers, plus 26,000 student members through the BASIS Students' Forum across 76 universities. BASIS holds direct seats on the Digital Bangladesh Task Force (headed by the Prime Minister), the Bangladesh High Tech Park Development Authority, and the Bangladesh Computer Council Executive Committee, and is the recognized Bangladesh partner for international bodies including NASA (Space Apps Challenge local organizer since 2012), APICTA, the World Bank, JICA, KOICA, and the ADB.

BASIS generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership subscription fees (BDT 5,000-10,000 domestic; USD 800 international), supplemented by event participation fees (BASIS SoftExpo, BASIS National ICT Awards with 108 awards across 36 categories, BASIS Outsourcing Award), skills training contracts (BASIS-SEIP and BASIS-ASSET enterprise-based training programs), member services (co-branded credit cards with BRAC Bank, EBL, Mutual Trust Bank, UCB, and City Bank; legal/IPR/tax advisory; export cash incentive facilitation at 10% and 6%), digital platforms (SaaS Products Showcasing, eGov Hub, DigitalShop, B2B Sweden/PUM Netherlands matching), and international trade show participation (GITEX, Japan IT Week, CeBIT Thailand, APICTA). Its technology footprint is limited to association-grade digital platforms — there is no proprietary AI/ML capability or commercial software product — and the secretariat is supported by approximately 24 staff. Bangladesh's IT/ITES companies have collectively contributed to four NASA International Space Apps Challenge world championships (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) and multiple APICTA Winner/Merit awards under BASIS-led participation.

Name

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS)

Legal name

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS)

Website

https://basis.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BASIS is the statutory national trade association for Bangladesh's software and IT-enabled services industry, with mandatory membership covering 2,882 companies plus 26,000 students across 76 universities, and government-mandated representation on key national ICT committees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Industry trade association
• Software industry advocacy
• IT enabled services
• Membership services
• Industry skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: BASIS generates revenue through annual membership fees from General, Associate, Affiliate, and International members. General Members pay BDT 20,000 admission fee plus BDT 10,000 annual subscription; Associate Members pay BDT 10,000 plus BDT 5,000; Affiliate Members pay BDT 15,000 plus BDT 7,500; International Members pay $2,000 plus $800 annually.
2. Event Participation Fees: Revenue from organizing and facilitating participation in international IT fairs, trade shows, and domestic events. Members receive discounted rates for event participation compared to non-members.
3. Member Services: BASIS provides various paid services to members including training programs, seminars, workshops, co-branded credit card partnerships, loan facilities, insurance facilities, and advisory services on tax, VAT, IPR, copyright, patent, trademark, and legal matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BASIS operates as the national trade body for Bangladesh's Software and IT Enabled Service (ITES) industry, providing tiered membership services (General, Associate, Affiliate, International), policy advocacy with government, industry events and awards programs, skills training partnerships, student engagement through BASIS Students' Forum, and digital platforms including a SaaS showcase, e-commerce store, government tender portal, and B2B matching services for international partnerships.

Product overview

BASIS operates as a trade association offering a portfolio of member services, industry initiatives, and platforms rather than a single unified software product. The core offerings include annual events (BASIS SoftExpo, NASA Space Apps Challenge Bangladesh, awards programs), skills development programs (BASIS-SEIP, BASIS-ASSET), student engagement (BASIS Students' Forum with 26,000 members across 76 universities), digital platforms (SaaS Products Showcasing, Digital Shop, eGov Hub), and business services (B2B matching, Software & IT Service Catalog). These services collectively support the Bangladesh software and ITES industry's development through advocacy, capacity building, market creation, and international exposure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BASIS Students' Forum (BSF): An initiative of BASIS that engages with the young generation for motivating and guiding them for becoming future technology leaders. Currently has chapters across 76 universities with 26,000 members.
• BASIS SEIP
• BASIS ASSET
• BASIS SoftExpo
• BASIS National ICT Awards
• BASIS Outsourcing Award
• BASIS Luna Shamsuddoha Award

Products and services

• BASIS Membership (General/Associate/Affiliate/International) Tiered membership program for Bangladesh software and ITES companies, providing industry advocacy, networking, training, tax advisory, export cash incentive certificates (10%), and government procurement access. Mandatory per Government Gazette for any software/ITES company doing business in Bangladesh.
• BASIS SoftExpo Annual largest national software and ITES exposition showcasing products, services, and innovations to corporate and individual end-users. Includes industry-focused zones (fintech, digital education, software, mobile, e-commerce, BPO) and project showcasing.
• NASA Space Apps Challenge Bangladesh International hackathon led by NASA where BASIS serves as the local organizer, enabling Bangladeshi teams to compete globally in addressing real-world problems using NASA's open data. Annual event with 9 local events across the country.
• BASIS National ICT Awards Annual awards event showcasing and awarding innovative projects, ideas, and solutions from startups, SMEs, and entrepreneurs in IT and ITES sectors, with winners advancing to APICTA Awards.
• BASIS Outsourcing Award Annual award celebrating success of companies and individuals in outsourcing, with categories including individual/district awards, company awards, startup awards, export excellence, and women professionals in tech.
• BASIS Luna Shamsuddoha Award Annual award recognizing women who have made significant contributions to society in non-traditional areas like technology, entrepreneurship, finance, and governance.
• BASIS Students' Forum (BSF) Student engagement initiative with chapters across 76 universities comprising 26,000 members, providing participation at BASIS events, networking, training, internship opportunities, and leadership development.
• BASIS-SEIP Skills Training Program Skills development partnership with SEIP providing IT/ITES training to 7,450 people including new entrants and upskilling programs with vendor certifications in software, data analytics, cloud, and network administration.
• BASIS-ASSET Enterprise-Based Training Enterprise-Based Training initiative partnering with the ASSET Project targeting 8,256 participants for industry-driven skills development with hands-on experience at partner enterprises.
• SaaS Products Showcasing Platform Digital platform developed by BASIS to promote SaaS model among SME entrepreneurs, offering free one-month access to software solutions for local businesses with low capital investment digitization.
• BASIS DigitalShop E-commerce platform selling BASIS branded merchandise including polo shirts, mugs, masks, coat pins, and card holders.
• B2B Matching Services Business-to-business matching services including B2B Sweden-Bangladesh and B2B PUM Netherlands programs facilitating international trade connections for member companies.
• BASIS eGov Hub Government tender portal providing access to government procurement opportunities and IT procurement advisory services for member companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 professionals have received training from BASIS
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASSET Project (Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Partnership with Directorate of Technical Education under TMED, Ministry of Education targeting 8,256 participants for Enterprise-Based Training (EBT). Duration: January 2026 - December 2026. 55% employment target with minimum 3 months retention.
• Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015BASIS became a member of APICTA in 2015, participating in annual APICTA Awards and hosting the 2017 convention in Dhaka. Bangladesh secured multiple Winner and Merit awards through APICTA participation.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASIS serves as the local organizer of NASA Space Apps Challenge in Bangladesh since 2012. Through this partnership, Bangladesh has achieved 4 world championships. BASIS engages thousands of participants across 9 cities annually.
• Bangladesh BankcoreOthersBangladesh Bank supports BASIS member companies through Foreign Exchange Transaction Circulars for IT/Software firms and cash incentive schemes for software and ITES exporters.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJICA collaborates with BASIS on digital development initiatives and Japan-Bangladesh ICT business relations.
• KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKOICA partners with BASIS for ICT development and cooperation between Bangladesh and Korea.
• PUM NetherlandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPUM Netherlands Senior Experts provides business advisory services to Bangladesh SMEs including IT companies through B2B PUM platform facilitated by BASIS.
• ICT Division, BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICT Division collaborates with BASIS on Digital Bangladesh initiatives, policy formulation, and national ICT development programs.
• Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHTPA and BASIS collaborate on Software Technology Park (STP-1) office space allocation and Hi-Tech Park development for IT companies.
• Export Promotion Bureau (EPB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPB supports BASIS member companies in international market development and participates in organizing export promotion events including GITEX.
• Skills for Employment Investment Program (SEIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASIS-SEIP partnership provides skills training to 6,650+ new entrants and 800+ upskilled professionals in ICT sector with 60% employment target within 3 months. Duration: January 2021 - March 2024.
• BASIS Institute of ICT in Trade and Development (BITM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBITM operates as the training institute partner for BASIS skill development programs and ICT sector training initiatives.
• U.S. Embassy DhakacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Embassy collaborates with BASIS on technology and investment initiatives, including NASA events and American Desk stakeholder meetings for expanding ICT business relations.
• SME Foundation (SMEF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMEF supports SME development including IT sector companies in Bangladesh.
• LICT (Local Government ICT Division)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLICT collaborates with BASIS on local government digital transformation initiatives.
• CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBI supports import promotion and trade facilitation for Bangladesh including ICT sector products and services.
• ITC (International Trade Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerITC SheTrades project collaboration with BASIS supporting women participation in tech through initiatives like BASIS and Prime Bank NEERA Unite to Empower Tech Women Entrepreneurs.
• SME DenmarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME Denmark supports B2B Sweden-Bangladesh trade relations through BASIS platform.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• techUK: United Kingdom's trade association for the technology industry. Operates as a broader industry chamber with policy advocacy, events, and member services across the technology ecosystem rather than specializing in software/ITES.
• CompTIA: Global trade association for the IT industry with strong emphasis on certification and workforce development. Comparable membership and event-driven model, though CompTIA's certification programs (A+, Security+) are a much larger revenue pillar than BASIS's skills offerings.

Others

• World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA): Global consortium of national IT industry associations including NASSCOM, APICTA members, and other national bodies. Comparable as the umbrella organization in which BASIS-affiliated bodies participate; positions BASIS within the international ICT trade network.

Regional players

• Nepal ICT Federation: Nepal's national private-sector federation for the ICT industry. Functions as a trade and advocacy body for IT companies in a neighboring South Asian economy with similar emerging-market dynamics.
• Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS): Sri Lanka's national umbrella body for the IT industry. Mirrors BASIS's role in representing software and IT services companies to government and coordinating industry development in a smaller South Asian market.
• Vietnam Software & IT Services Association (VINASA): Vietnam's national trade association for software and IT services companies. Operates in a comparable emerging Asian IT-export market with similar advocacy, training, and international market development functions for member companies.
• Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA): Pakistan's national trade body for software houses and IT companies. Comparable as a South Asian counterpart representing IT firms to government and operating skills and international market access programs.

Direct peers

• NASSCOM: India's National Association of Software and Service Companies — the closest functional equivalent to BASIS as a national trade body representing software/ITES companies. Both serve as the primary industry voice to government and operate skills, advocacy, and international market access programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/basis-bd
• Xx.com/basis_event
• Facebookfacebook.com/basis.bd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS)