KOTRA Dhaka 2020 Annual Report Overview
The KOTRA Dhaka Annual Report for 2020 documents trade office achievements during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. After the March lockdown, the office completed 150 export support cases, 80 buyer-matching cases, and 30 investment consultation cases through an online-first transition, achieving an export contribution of USD 25M. Non-face-to-face market missions and online buyer forums were introduced as new initiatives.
COVID-19 Response and Digital Shift
In March 2020, nationwide lockdown in Bangladesh stopped in-person activities. Starting in April, KOTRA Dhaka built online platforms for virtual buyer consultations, remote business missions, and digital market briefings. This experience became the foundation for a hybrid operating model used afterward.
| Period | Action | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | Lockdown response | Remote work and emergency communication | Operational continuity maintained |
| April | Digital shift | Built a virtual consultation system | Online consultations started from May |
| June | Remote missions | Virtual mission focused on infrastructure | 12 participants, 35 consultations |
| September | Digital briefing | Published market trend newsletter online | 2 reports per month, 500 subscribers |
| November | Hybrid operations | Hybrid of in-person and online work | Buyer consultation recovery |
Sector-by-Sector Performance Details
Overall results declined year-on-year due to the pandemic, yet the use of online channels rose sharply. In particular, infrastructure and power remained relatively strong because government projects continued.