Going beyond trade and transport connectivity and energy connectivity, digital connectivity is a rapidly emerging dimension of India-Bangladesh partnership.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma jointly laid the foundation stone of the Knowledge Park at Chattogram on Sunday being built with government of India’s financing support.

The IT park at Chattogram is part of project for establishment of IT/Hi-Tech Parks in 12 districts of Bangladesh under Government of India’s concessional Line of Credit worth nearly US$ 250 million.

In his address at the event, High Commissioner Verma highlighted the project’s importance in India-Bangladesh cooperation in ICT sector, and hoped that it will propel economic and technological partnership between the two countries to newer heights.

The project will also advance the goal of Digital Bangladesh and the vision to transform from Digital to Smart Bangladesh by 2041.

High Commissioner Verma expressed confidence that these IT parks will go a long way in promoting the IT industry and IT-enabled services in Bangladesh by helping in establishing standards, creating hubs and incubation centres, developing entrepreneurship, and building capacity in new and emerging technologies like Internet of Things, machine learning, robotics, artificial intelligence, extended reality and other advanced and cutting-edge subjects.

He said the IT Parks will nurture a technologically-skilled workforce that is crucial for rapid growth and development of our economies in the 21st century. ​

Each Park is expected to generate direct employment for 3000 people and train over 1000 people every year.

The direct and indirect benefits from the parks will, therefore, be transformative.

It is also notable that this project will involve construction of Green Buildings, which are energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

The High Commissioner highlighted new initiatives being taken such as the recently launched India-Bangladesh Startup Bridge to connect the Startup communities of India and Bangladesh, as well as proposals to link digital payment systems of the two countries.

The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by government officials, local leaders and IT professionals, women entrepreneurs, mediapersons and other stakeholders.