Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday assured that the government will provide all necessary support for boosting export income from ICT products and services to USD $ 5 billion by 2025.  “There is a huge demand of Bangladeshi ICT products abroad and we have to utilise this opportunity to achieve our export income target,” he said. Tipu Munshi came up with remarks while exchanging views with  newly elected executive committee members of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) at his secretariat office on Wednesday. READ: CIP cards awarding: Businesses should prepare to compete in post-graduation period-Tipu Munshi The BASIS delegation was led by its president Russell T Ahmed. Among others, BASIS Senior Vice President Samira Zuberi Himika, Vice Presidents Abu Dawood Khan and Fahim Hasan were present. The minister mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced $5 billion ICT products export target at the inaugural function of Dhaka International Trade Fair. He emphasized on more investment for the development of the ICT sector industries to utilize the skilled manpower in the ICT sector of the country. The Ministry of Commerce is implementing a project to build skilled manpower in the ICT sector, he said.

The government has taken proactive steps to prepare the country for the graduation from LDC and smooth transition into a new economic environment, said Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Sunday. He said Bangladesh has made impressive socio-economic progress and urged all to overcome the upcoming trade-related challenges meeting the demand for skilled trade professionals. Tipu Munshi came with the remarks while addressing an MoU signing ceremony between Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institution (BFTI) and BRAC University for Conducting Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) on International Trade in the capital. Also read: Bangladesh needs concerted efforts to avail new GSP plus in EU: Tipu Munshi The minister said he believes that collaboration between BFTI and BRAC University would ensure quality education and contribute to building skilled manpower in the area of international trade and business in Bangladesh. Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh hoped that BFTI would play its role as a centre of excellence on trade and commerce. He said the proposed BFTI’s Postgraduate diploma (PGD) will provide trade professionals with practical efficiency of international trade and business. Also read: Economy faces challeges of revenue shortfall and defaulting bank loans: Document Dr Md Jafar Uddin, former commerce secretary and now CEO of BFTI, Dr Vincent Chang, Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University, Tamara Hasan Abed, Chairperson, Board of Trustees of the university, AHM Ahsan, Vice-Chairman, Export Promotion Bureau, additional secretaries of commerce ministry Maleka Khairunnesa (Admin Wing), Md Hafizur Rahman, (Export Wing), Md Hafizur Rahman (WTO Cell), Md Monsur Alam, (Administration Wing), Bablu Kumar Saha, Director General of Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection, Sheikh Shoebul Alam, Registrar of Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms and Brigadier General Md Ariful Hassan, Chairman, TCB, among others, joined the event.