The Advertising Agencies Association of Bangladesh (AAAB) organized its Networking Hub on 18 August 2025 at Banani Club Banquet Hall, with Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman as the Guest of Honour. The event brought together leading figures from top advertising agencies and brands, who engaged in discussions on market dynamics, creative effectiveness, and opportunities for collaboration. A total of 65 participants representing 35 advertising agencies attended. From Grameenphone, CMO Farha Naz and senior representatives from key marketing divisions were present. From AAAB’s Executive Committee, President Sanaul Arefeen, Vice President Nazim Farhan Chowdhury, General Secretary Syed Ahsanul Apon, Joint Secretary M A Maruf, Dr. Muhammad Risalat Siddique (Member), and Meherun Islam Konka (Member) were in attendance, a press release said.
The program opened with welcome remarks from Joint Secretary M A Maruf, followed by a presentation from General Secretary Syed Ahsanul Apon highlighting key challenges in the advertising industry—such as VAT and tax issues, intellectual property rights, and agency pitch fees. He also shared recent achievements under the current Executive Committee, including: easing foreign currency payment procedures for advertising on global platforms (Google, Facebook, YouTube) in coordination with Bangladesh Bank; collaborating with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on VAT policy reforms; and reinstating 100% tax exemption for the advertising-ITES sector. He invited members to participate in AAAB’s upcoming workshop on producing Cannes-standard work. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of nurturing new talent in the advertising industry and welcomed 23 newly joined member agencies.
Vice President Nazim Farhan Chowdhury then introduced Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman, who shared his insights on changing consumer behavior, the impact of creativity, the evolving allocation of large-brand marketing budgets, and the role of AI in content creation. During the Q&A session, participants asked him a range of pertinent questions.
In his concluding remarks, Yasir Azman said that in this rapidly changing era, adaptation is the key; otherwise, one risks falling behind every day. He praised AAAB for this initiative and noted that when C-level professionals and creative minds in advertising come together, they can collectively brainstorm and find effective solutions to these challenges.
Finally, AAAB President Sanaul Arefeen presented a crest to the Guest of Honour and delivered a vote of thanks. He stated that AAAB is not confined to paperwork; rather, it is working to build an ecosystem where creativity can thrive, businesses can expand, and Bangladesh’s advertising industry can secure a respected position in the global market.
The formal session concluded at 9:00 PM. Following the dinner, the event transformed into a warm and cordial gathering.
