Bangladesh expects to earn over $250 million through software exports
in the current fiscal year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said
yesterday.
Exports of IT and IT-enabled services stood at $124.72 million last fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau.
Bangladesh exports software to over 50 countries, and the government
has attached the highest priority to building a nation educated in IT,
Hasina said.
She said her government has kept a provision for special incentives
for the investors in the ICT sector and developed infrastructures to
attract foreign investment.
She said private organisations, particularly Bangladesh Association
of Software and Information Services, alongside the public sector have
been playing a significant role in creating IT experts and
professionals.
BASIS has been working to create 10 lakh internet users more in the country by 2018.
Hasina spoke while inaugurating the Digital World 2015, a four-day
fair on ICT, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.
She said the government has formulated the ICT Act and ICT policy and
work to set up a high-tech park and a software technology park has
already begun.
The aim of the government is to ensure the socioeconomic development
of people and improve their lifestyle using ICT, the prime minister
said.
Hasina mentioned that her government reduced the price of internet bandwidth to Tk 2,800 in 2014, down from Tk 76,000 in 2007.
She also urged the people to keep vigil round the clock and put up a
strong resistance against those who want to push the country into
darkness again from the path of development through their destructive
activities.
The ICT Division and BASIS in collaboration with several IT organisations organised the fair with the theme of “Future is here”.
Eighty-five IT experts alongside officials, policymakers, business
leaders and entrepreneurs from 25 countries are taking part in the
fourth edition of the fair occupying 137 stalls.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, prime minister's ICT affairs adviser, attended the
inauguration programme as a special guest. State Minister for ICT
Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak presided over the function, while BASIS
President Shamim Ahsan delivered the welcome address.
A video message of US congressman Mike Honda was also played at the event
