Tencent Eyes Entry into Bangladesh — What’s Behind Its Business Move?

Chinese Tech Giant Tencent Eyes Entry into Bangladesh's Digital Market

Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent has expressed interest in entering the Bangladeshi market, according to Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser on posts, telecommunications, and information technology.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Taiyeb announced, “American giant Starlink has already arrived in Bangladesh. The chief adviser approved their license application today.” He credited the entry of major global tech firms to the leadership of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, noting that “many more will follow.” In the same post, he added, “Today, we officially sat with Chinese giant Tencent. They expressed interest in coming to Bangladesh, and we assured them of policy support as soon as possible.”

Taiyeb also mentioned that the Osiris Group is set to enter the Bangladeshi market. A hyperscale cloud and data center will be established at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park through partnerships with local cloud and data companies. The initiative aims to build a secure, world-class cloud infrastructure capable of accommodating global players like Meta and Google.

“Professor Yunus is preparing to present such unimaginable gifts to Bangladesh,” Taiyeb wrote.

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Tencent is one of the world’s leading internet and technology companies. With the mission to "use technology for good," the company is best known for publishing globally popular video games and high-quality digital content.

During a seminar in Dhaka last February titled ‘Potential of Gaming Industry in Bangladesh’, it was highlighted that the global gaming industry has exceeded USD 200 billion—surpassing both the music and film industries. As a rising economy in the Asia-Pacific region, Bangladesh holds considerable promise for growth in this sector. Tencent sees an opportunity to collaborate with local partners to advance the country’s gaming industry and broader digital ecosystem.

Although no formal study has yet been conducted on Bangladesh’s gaming market, a 2021 report in Prothom Alo cited industry insiders estimating its value at approximately USD 50 million.

Beyond gaming, Tencent’s portfolio includes services in cloud computing, advertising, FinTech, and enterprise technology. It also owns WeChat, one of the most widely used messaging apps in China, and invests heavily in artificial intelligence. The company has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2004.