State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Tuesday urged the youths to create self-employment scopes in their respective areas as the government is setting up Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre in the 64 districts of the country. “Millions of youths enter the job market every year. Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centers are being set up to facilitate their employment,” he said. Also read: Bangladesh will have to embrace rapid changes in next 20 years: Palak The state minister was talking to reporters after laying the foundation stone of Dinajpur Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Center at Dinajpur Government College campus, said a PID handout here. After passing the SSC and the HSC exams, anyone can be self-employed by becoming an IT freelancer or entrepreneur on the successful completion of a 6-month course or 12-month diploma course in an IT training and incubation center, he said. Palak said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reduced the disparity between the urban and rural areas as well as the rich and the poor by transforming the country into Digital Bangladesh in the last 13 years. Also read: Palak visits Microsoft firm in USA He said the government reached its digital services to the doorsteps of people through the establishment of Union Digital Center as per the plan of Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the architect of Digital Bangladesh. About the Dinajpur IT training centre, the state minister hoped that some 1,000 youths could manage their self-employment by getting training from the centre every year. But more than 3,000 youths will be able to take training from it, he added. A six-storey structure for the IT Training and Incubation Center will be constructed on a two-acre land at the cost of some 85 crore. Parliament’s whip Iqbalur Rahim and Managing Director of Bangladesh Hi-tech Park Authority Bikarna Kumar Ghosh were, among others, present.

Over the next 20 years, Bangladesh will have to cope with rapid changes in agriculture, education, health, transportation, communication and the way the country's people work and conduct businesses, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak. He was delivering a keynote on the second day of Huawei APAC Digital Innovation Congress 2022 Friday. Palak said: "We have achieved the Digital Bangladesh – Vision 2021. Now our goal is to become a 'Smart Bangladesh' – an innovative, knowledge-based advanced economy by 2041." Also Read: Palak visits Microsoft firm in USA "The Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 has set specific targets for different indicators. We aim to reach a per capita income of $12,500 from $2,594, making Bangladesh the 23rd largest economy in the world by 2041." The Huawei APAC Digital Innovation Congress, jointly held by Huawei and the ASEAN Foundation, has gathered over 1,500 government officials, experts, researchers, partners, and analysts from more than ten countries in the Asia-Pacific to explore the future of digital innovation and the digital economy. Topics include ongoing advancements in ICT, speeding up digital transformation across industries, as well as green and low-carbon development.    

State minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak has visited the Microsoft firm in USA’s San Francisco, according to a message here on Friday. During his visit on Thursday, he observed hardware, software, innovations of the tech giant, their activities and exchanged views with the Microsoft team. Also read: Palak visits Nokia Bell Labs in New Jersey

Indian Minister for Railways, Communications, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday appreciated Bangladesh’s “outstanding achievements” in ICT sector made under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He said both the neighbouring countries can further bolster cooperation and collaboration in reaping mutual gains of emerging technologies and digital economy. Also read: Palak visits Indian Institute of Technology, NASSCOM in New Delhi State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak held a meeting with the Indian minister at the latter’s office in New Delhi and discussed issues of mutual interest. Palak shared with the Indian IT minister four priority areas of Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy towards building a developed and tech-savvy Bangladesh, according to a message received here from Bangladesh Mission in New Delhi.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Tuesday visited the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in New Delhi and highlighted Bangladesh's success stories in realizing 'Digital Bangladesh' under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He visited various laboratory facilities such as ASSISTECH Lab at the School of Information Technology, Nanoscale Research Facility (NRF), 3D Weaving and Structural Composites on the IIT campus. ASSISTECH is an inter-disciplinary group of faculty, research staff and students who are engaged in using modern technology to find affordable solutions for the visually impaired. Also read: Symphony to lead the way in building 'innovative, smart Bangladesh': Palak The ICT State Minister is visiting New Delhi to attend a few sessions of the seventh edition of the Raisina Dialogue as a panelist, said the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday. State Minister Palak also held meetings with IIT’s Director Prof Dr Ranjan Banerjee, Dean of International Office Prof Naveen Garg and Coordinator of Nanoscale Research Facility (NRF) Prof Neeraj Khare.

A 15,000 square feet hi-tech park is going to be established in Keraniganj, southern suburb of Dhaka city. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid laid the foundation stone of the 7-story hi-tech park in Keraniganj. Also read: 'Boosting electronics, hi-tech industry the need of the day' Addressing a function on the occasion, he said the hi-tech park will play an important role in creating skilled manpower in the country. “There is no alternative to create skilled manpower to get the results of the fourth industrial revolution”, he said adding the initiative to create skilled manpower will help face the future challenges.      State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami also addressed the function. It was informed at the function that Tk 200 crore will be invested in the hi-tech park project which will have facilities to provide training to 1000 people per year. Also read:KEPZ Hi-Tech park will attract huge FDI, hopes Palak In addition, some 3000 more people will get the opportunity to be employed directly and indirectly under the project.  Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the government has been implementing a huge number of projects to develop digital Bangladesh. “Already cent percent of people have access to electricity while 13 crore people are using the internet,” he said.

A tripartite MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for commercial production of space-life suitable modules in Bangladesh was signed on Sunday. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU) signed the MoU with Bridge to Bangladesh (B2B), Aspire to innovate (A2I), and pico Satellite at a program held in the city's Le Meridien hotel. Air Commodore Mommad Abdullah Al Mahbub on behalf of BSMRAAU, Faruq Ahmed Jewel, Head of technology of A2I, Sajedul Islam, vice-president of B2B, and Profssor Dr Najmul Ullah for establishing Pico satellite labs signed the MoU. Read:Bangladesh, Russian firms sign deal to launch Bangabandhu Satellite-2 The four contracted organizations aim at establishing a space ecosystem in the country. State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak was virtually connected as the chief guest at the program. Palak said Bangladesh needs to launch nunumbermbers of satellites for boosting agricultural production, urban planning, and early flood detection. Read SpaceX’s Elon Musk: 1st orbital Starship flight maybe March “The MoU signed today will increase our capacity to produce Pico, Nanosatellites along with observatory satellites. In the future, country’s youth will be able to build complete satellites and launch them through this deal,” said Palak.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday launched the newly constructed headquarters of the Directorate of Posts, Dak Bhaban, in the city’s Agargaon area. She opened the 14-storey eye-catching building through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning. The Prime Minister also released a memorial postal stamp on the occasion of launching the multistoried building.    Read:Hasina seeks Commonwealth’s focus on minimising climate vulnerabilities The modern building, constructed in the shape of a letter box, is equipped with a library, modern postal museum, auditorium, work stations, cafeteria, day-care center, medical facilities, fire-fighting system and other IT facilities. Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar spoke at the virtual function from the Dak Bhaban in Agargaon. State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Posts Telecommunications and IT Ministry AKM Rahmatullah, among others, were present at Dak Bhaban. PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the function, while Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Md Afzal Hossain delivered the welcome speech.  

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Thursday urged the Japanese investors to capitalise on the benefits and invest in the IT sector of Bangladesh and to recruit Skilled Bangladeshi IT professionals. 

The clinical trial of ventilator, Medicart robot and remote control UV-C light disinfectant system, manufactured by Walton, started on Thursday. The company handed over the medical equipment to the ICT division for clinical trial in a videoconference, said a press release.