The new rules for resilience

In 2007, Bangladesh's nascent business process outsourcing (BPO) sector came into the spotlight when the telecom regulator introduced call centre licensing. Since then, thanks to initiatives from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the private sector, the country's BPO industry has grown into a strong global contender.

Competing effectively with established hubs like India and the Philippines, we have proven our capacity to deliver high-quality service at a competitive cost. Today, hundreds of Bangladeshi companies serve a global clientele — a testament to our nation's potential.

However, the ground is shifting. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) poses a direct challenge to the traditional BPO model. AI excels at the very tasks that built the industry: repetitive data entry, scripted customer service, and routine processes. As AI automates these roles, the question is no longer whether jobs will be cut, but how we will adapt to survive and thrive.

The key to survival lies in moving up the value chain. We cannot compete with AI on repetition, but we can excel where it falls short: higher-order thinking. The future of BPO is not about following scripts, but about solving complex problems that require critical analysis, creativity, and emotional intelligence. When a customer has a unique, sensitive issue that a chatbot cannot handle, a skilled human agent who can empathise, strategise, and provide a tailored solution becomes invaluable.

This evolution is crucial for our young generation. To thrive in the age of AI, they must cultivate skills that complement technology, not compete with it. Thinking better — analysing data instead of just entering it, managing client relationships instead of just answering calls — is the new currency.

To navigate the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, industry leaders are calling for a strategic shift in workforce development within Bangladesh's BPO sector. The emphasis is moving away from routine tasks and toward a suite of future-proof competencies that leverage uniquely human abilities and complement automation.

A primary area of focus is complex problem-solving, where agents will be trained to handle escalated, non-standard customer issues that fall outside the capabilities of automated systems. This requires a high degree of digital and emotional intelligence, enabling professionals to manage sophisticated client relationships and lead teams with the empathy and nuance that technology cannot replicate.

Furthermore, the future BPO professionals will transition from data processors to data strategists. Developing skills in data analysis and interpretation will be critical, as employees will be expected to use AI-generated information to provide clients with actionable business insights. Complementing this is the growing need for AI system management — a technical role that involves overseeing, training, and ensuring the quality of the very AI tools that are transforming the industry.

The writer is a telecom, automation, and artificial intelligence expert, and the CTO at Link3 Technologies Limited.