MUMBAI: It should add some fizz to the Bangladesh soft drink market. Just like it has done in nations such as the UK, Canada, Netherlands and Norway. UK based Qibla Cola Company founded by Derby based businesswoman, Zahida Parveen, will be available in the not too distant future to soda poppers in the south Asian nation following the signing of an agreement with Dhaka based FCI Trade International.

Under the agreement, FCI will exclusively import the concentrate, bottle locally and distribute products of the Qibla Cola Company in Bangladesh.

Qibla Cola chief business development officer Mohammad Haider and FCI Trade International chairman and managing director Fakhrul Islam Chowdhury signed the agreement at the head office of Qibla Cola in the UK recently. Distribution of the products will begin in Bangladesh in the near future.

The company has positioned the soft drink at Muslims who are not to happy about the wave of anti-Islamic jingoism that has come up globally following the 9/11 attacks. But in markets like the UK, Qibla apparently is now being guzzled by non-Muslims too and the brand is giving the majors like Coke and Pepsi some amount of irritation.

Haider said, "The appeal for Qibla Cola is gaining global momentum. Consumers appreciate the way Qibla Cola tastes and looks whilst knowing that their money will contribute to worthy causes."

"We have chosen the name 'Qibla' as it means 'direction' which reflects the philosophy of the company in that it is taking people in the right direction. The Qibla brand offers a real alternative for people concerned by the practices of the major multinationals that support unjust causes. People are increasingly questioning the role these brands play in societies across the globe."

What has also worked in the brand's favour is fact that the company is giving 10 per cent of all profits made to charity and has paired up with charities working in health, education and medical research that work in a variety of places across the globe.