Bangladesh, which was once dependent on the import of digital technologies from abroad, is now turning into a country capable of exporting Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
According to sources, at present the yearly income from this sector is over one billion US dollars and the country has set a target of five billion US dollars of income per year from abroad by exporting ICT materials.
Besides, thousands of skilled hands in the ICT sector are emerging from the projects.
The income from the sector was only 2.60 crore US dollars in 2008 and at present it has increased up to more than 100 crore US dollars.
Sources said, everything has been possible due to the Bangladesh High-tech Park Authorities, run under the direct supervision of Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, also known as Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the ICT Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her only son.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy is doing everything to make the country a ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had planned for it in 1999, her plans could not work properly for years due to the rule by various other governments till 2008. After the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2009, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy resumed the process for making the dream come true.
As part of the dream, over 30 High-tech Parks are being developed across the country. The main high-tech park named Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City is being developed at Kaliakoir in Gazipur district, a neighbouring district of the capital city of Dhaka.
At least 33 giant investors from home and abroad have already invested in this sector. Biotech, Vibrant, Nokia and some other giant companies are now working there in full swing.
Syed Zahurul Islam, Acting Director of Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority, said, “Bangladesh, which earlier was a country of importing of ICT materials, has already turned into a country of ICT exporter.
“At present at least 74 organisations from home and abroad are working at the Bangladesh High-Tech Park. Of them, 33 organisations have already invested here”, said Syed Zahurul Islam.
He said at present the annual income by the Bangladesh High-Tech Park is over one billion US dollars and over 15,000 people are also working there.
The Acting Director of the Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authorities also said that the country has set a target of income of five billion US dollars every year from 2025.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT, said that Bangladesh is working not only for the foreign investors, the target of Bangladesh is to compete with the countries which are developed in the ICT sector.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and direct supervision of her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, also the ICT Advisor to the Prime Minister, our target is to build Bangladesh a smart nation or developed nation based on ICT.”
The State Minister for ICT said, “At least 39 hi-tech parks are being developed across the country. Bangladesh plans to launch operations of eight new hi-tech parks this year and tap Tk 12 billion investments by 2023.”
Official sources said, in joint venture with foreign investment, two local tech conglomerates named Summit Tehnolopolic and Tecnocity led by Fibe@Home developed infrastructures for the investors. Besides, some local and foreign companies --Samsung, Xiaomi and Nokia already have started assembling smartphones in the ICT park area.
BHTPA has allocated 187 acre spaces to 70 companies of which 7 companies are operational.