United News of Bangladesh

Long regarded as a supporting sector rather than a primary growth engine, Bangladesh’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and telecommunications industry is now being positioned at the centre of the country’s economic transformation. With the government setting a target to increase the sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the current 1-2 percent to 10 percent within the next five years, the latest budget outlines an ambitious roadmap built around digital infrastructure, high-speed connectivity, investment-friendly policies and a unified digital public service platform. If achieved, the target would represent one of the most significant structural shifts in Bangladesh’s economy, moving the country closer to a technology-driven growth model while creating thousands of skilled jobs and expanding exports of digital services. To achieve the target, the government plans to develop the sector as a priority industry by expanding wireless and wireline connectivity, building digital infrastructure, producing skilled human resources, introducing a “One Citizen, One ID, One Digital Wallet” system and creating a more investment-friendly policy environment. The government said affordable and reliable internet is essential for developing the ICT sector and transforming Bangladesh into a digital economy. As part of a comprehensive telecommunications reform programme, it has undertaken policy initiatives to improve internet quality and bring services up to global standards. The reform agenda includes ensuring 5G network coverage for 90 percent of the population and providing broadband internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps through coordinated efforts involving mobile network operators and fixed broadband service providers. To improve internet access in remote and rural areas, the government has also launched initiatives to expand fibre-based connectivity, including the establishment of a National Fibre Bank. The budget document said high-speed free internet services have already been introduced at railway stations and airports across the country. Over the past four months, the government has added 4.1 million new 4G mobile connections and 400,000 new high-speed broadband connections, according to the document. The government also plans to build an integrated Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) centred on the concept of “One Citizen, One ID, One Digital Wallet”. The initiative will enable citizens to access a wide range of public and private services through a single digital identity while facilitating secure digital financial transactions, including the payment of government allowances, fees and other charges. According to the budget document, the unified digital identity and wallet system will eliminate complexities created by multiple identity platforms, improve interoperability among government databases and strengthen data exchange across public institutions. The government expects the initiative to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in public service delivery while making services faster and easier to access. Citing a projection by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the budget document said Bangladesh is expected to become the world’s ninth-largest consumer economy by 2030, making digital transformation a key component of the country’s long-term economic strategy. The government believes sustained investment in digital infrastructure, innovation and human resource development will be crucial to unlocking the sector’s full potential. It also expects the expansion of high-speed broadband, advanced mobile technologies, data centres and cloud infrastructure to strengthen the country’s digital ecosystem, improve public services and support businesses and entrepreneurship. Industry experts said Bangladesh’s growing pool of young technology professionals is well positioned to meet rising global demand for software development, business process outsourcing, freelancing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital financial services. However, they stressed that continued investment in technical education and specialised skills training will be essential to remain competitive. The government is also focusing on developing innovation hubs, startup ecosystems and research facilities to encourage technology commercialisation, while promoting greater collaboration among academia, industry and public institutions. The ICT sector is increasingly supporting agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, education and financial services by improving productivity and expanding access to digital solutions. The wider adoption of e-commerce, digital payments and online public services is also expected to strengthen financial inclusion and governance. Despite the sector’s strong prospects, experts say challenges remain, including strengthening cybersecurity, improving digital literacy, ensuring reliable internet connectivity in rural areas and maintaining a favourable regulatory environment for technology businesses. The government documents emphasised that effective implementation of development programmes, appropriate policy measures and greater private sector participation will be critical to achieving the vision of a digitally empowered economy. If successfully implemented, the ICT and telecommunications sector is expected to emerge as one of Bangladesh’s strongest growth pillars, generating high-quality employment, attracting foreign investment, boosting exports and significantly increasing its contribution to the national economy.

The interim government will form a high-powered committee soon to investigate and prepare a white paper on corruption and irregularities in the ICT sector during the Awami League regime, said CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Tuesday. “We’re planning to prepare a white paper. There is a plan to form a high-powered committee within the two or one days…. this committee will present a white paper within two months,” he said. Shafiqul Alam disclosed this plan at a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy in the capital. He said the media ran many reports over a huge corruption and irregularities took place in the ICT Ministry and the name of digitalisation and Digital Bangladesh.    Bangladesh’s ICT sector suffered heavy losses for prolonged internet shutdown in 2024 Alam said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus wanted a white paper to be prepared on corruption and irregularities in the ICT and digitalization sector. “It’s a decision of the interim government,” said the press secretary. CA’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar was present at the briefing.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has invited Brazilian investors to invest in the energy, infrastructure and ICT sectors in Bangladesh. He said Bangladesh is the largest manufacturing hub in the region. Foreign Minister Momen said Bangladesh and Brazil have so many similarities but the trade volume is still to grow more. The issues were discussed when newly appointed Ambassador of Brazil to Bangladesh Paulo Fernando Dias Feres met the Foreign Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. Foreign Minister Momen welcomed the new Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh and congratulated him on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Brazil. Read more: EU announces € 3m for Rohingyas in Bhasan Char He also congratulated the newly elected President of Brazil Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva for his remarkable victory. The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh looks forward to working with the new administration to further strengthening the political and trade relations. Momen invited newly elected President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva to visit Bangladesh next year at a mutually convenient time. Read more: UN expert urges Bangladesh to step up efforts to prevent trafficking He highlighted Bangladesh’s interest in importing sugar, soybean oil and high breed milking cows from Brazil. Momen also expressed hope that Brazil would facilitate Bangladesh’s initiative to have preferential trade agreement with the MERCOSUR countries. The Foreign Minister said at present developing countries do not have any effective international forum for greater cooperation. He opined that the developing countries like Brazil, Bangladesh and other like-minded developing countries can form an organisation for southern countries for better supply chain management, information sharing and shared economic development. Brazilian Ambassador Feres appreciated the idea and expressed his country’s keen interest to work with Bangladesh closely on the issues of mutual benefits. He appreciated Bangladesh’s economic strides in the recent years and sought government’s cooperation during his tenure in Dhaka. Both sides also discussed the issues of mutual cooperation and reciprocal supports in the multilateral forum.

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.

Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Australian company for recruiting Bangladeshis in the Australian ICT sector. The state-owned manpower exporting company BOESL inked the MoU with Australian company Sterning on Thursday, said a PID handout on Friday. BOESL Managing Director Md Billal Hossain and Operation Director of Sterning Paul Egan on behalf of their respective sides signed the document. READ: Women’s participation in ICT sector to be raised substantially: Hasina As per the agreement, Sterning will arrange employment for the skilled manpower of Bangladesh in the ICT sector in different client companies in Australia. BOESL will provide competent candidates against the demand of Sterning. Bangladeshi ICT professionals will have job opportunities in Australia for the next three years under the deal. Consulate General of Bangladesh in Sydney Khandaker Masudul Alam, Counsellor (Labour) of Bangladesh High Commission in Canberra Md Salahuddin, Sterning CEO Joseph Merz and BOESL Executive Manager Md Mahabubur Rahman, among others, virtually joined the agreement signing ceremony. READ: Administrative work remain uninterrupted amid pandemic due to progress in ICT sector: Palak Billal Hossain said the BOESL is now contacting other Australian companies to expand the skilled manpower export to Australia in other sectors. Joseph Merz said there is demand for skilled IT professionals in Australia. So, recruitment of Bangladeshi professionals will help meet the demand.

Speakers at a webinar on Wednesday underscored the need to foster more collaborative engagements in the thriving sectors, particularly ICT, pharmaceuticals and biotech, with an aim to further deepen and strengthen the existing partnership between Bangladesh and South Korea. The virtual meeting was participated by the dignitaries and representatives of the government and other trade bodies of both Bangladesh and South Korea and took stock of the existing bilateral economic cooperation. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Private Investment and Industry Salman F Rahman, who attended as the chief guest, reflected on the achievements and potentials of Bangladesh in the sectors and provided guidance, recommendations and future directions of engagements in promoting cooperation in Pharmaceutical, Bio Industry and the ICT sector. The webinar titled ‘Bangladesh and ROK: Trade and Investment Opportunities’, was organized by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul and moderated by Bangladesh Ambassador to South Korea Abida Islam Also read: Dhaka and Seoul discuss cooperation between Met Offices It discussed and exchanged views on the existing trends of bilateral cooperation especially in pharmaceuticals, biotech, and the ICT sector, as well as charting future course of action in expanding cooperation in these thriving sectors.   Also read: Webinar highlights stronger Dhaka-Seoul trade ties, FTA Dr. Mostafa Abid Khan, former member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, was the keynote speaker.  

Awami League's sub-committee on science and technology has recommended an increase in the allocation to ICT sector in the upcoming 2021-2022 national budget. The recommendation came on Monday in a letter sent to State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmad Palak from the ICT sub-committee. Read: Awami League announces candidates for 27 local body polls In the letter, Engineer Abdus Sabur, member secretary of the sub-committee said that field level government officials need to get advanced IT training to boost their capacity. Sabur, also the secretary of science and technology of the ruling party, said if the educated young population become proficient in advanced IT, it  will generate self-employment and earning of foreign currency through outsourcing. "In addition, the development of the domestic software industry will accelerate the pace of achieving sustainable development in information technology if it is possible to formulate tax-exempt policies on the purchase of domestic software and increase government investment in developing start-ups," he  said. The committee also presented five-point recommendations for the development of the sector including the initiative to build a sustainable start-up ecosystem, and provide loans to registered outsourcers. Sabur said Bangladesh has become a role model of development in the world today through the implementation of 'Digital Bangladesh' under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He said "We are preparing ourselves to lead the world in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by building an IT-based knowledge-based society under the far-reaching plan of  Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Information and Communication Technology Adviser to the Prime Minister." Bangladesh has achieved unimaginable success in the ICT sector under his leadership. He said "We want this trend to accelerate. So, it is necessary to increase the allocation in the budget for ICT sector."

The government is establishing 35,000 modern digital laboratories across the country,aiming to encourage and give more access to girls and young women in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT). State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said this while addressing a virtual roundtable discussion on ‘Accelerating Digital Inclusion for Girls and Women’ as the chief guest. Read Women continue making amazing contributions in STEM fields: US He also stressed the need for collaborative effort in mentoring and monitoring from the Government, non-government and private sector to ensure digital inclusion of girls and young women.

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said KOICA’s different bilateral projects in ICT sector since its operation in Bangladesh remarkably helped Bangladesh to establish the pillars of 'Digital Bangladesh’.  He was addressing a function held in a city hotel on Thursday evening.  Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and KOICA Bangladesh Alumni Association (KBAA), jointly celebrated KOICA’s 30th anniversary titled "Deepening Bilateral Ties between Republic of Korea and Bangladesh for LDC Graduation." Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP, Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Lee Jang-keun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, Monzur Hossain, MP, President, KBAA and Chairman, Rupali Bank Limited and Young-Ah Doh, Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh Office were present. 

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Friday said the government’s administrative work did not stop for a single day amid the coronavirus pandemic.