Telecommunications and Information Technology (ICT) Minister Mustafa Jabbar has said that Bangladesh has made vast strides in the sector, and is now considering the launch of another satellite.
A report published in the Dhaka Tribune quoted Jabbar as saying that, “The country has had significant success in the ICT sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She had said that we should prepare for the construction of the Bangabandhu Satellite-2 after the launch of Bangabandhu Sattelite-1. We need skilled manpower to achieve the target of a Digital Bangladesh, and to compete internationally,” he said.
The report further stated that the minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the ceremony for the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) National ICT awards 2018, organised by BASIS at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Dhaka on Thursday. The event was sponsored by UCB.
A total of 76 projects were awarded in over 30 categories at the event for their outstanding contribution to the ICT sector, and 33 champions were declared. Of the 33 winners, 32 will participate at the APICTA Awards-2018, to be held in Guangzhou, China from October 9-13 next.
The ICT minister further said: “We succeeded at the APICTA Awards held in Taiwan last year. We would like to win APICTA in China as well. We are going to participate there with a team of about 70 members. Knowledge is most powerful than wealth, so we have to compete using skilled manpower. The next generation must come forward for this.”
Addressing the award ceremony as special guest, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said: “About 2 million jobs will be created in the ICT sector by 2021. We are happy that we have a huge population who are still young. We will have to train them and make them skilled.”
“Our earnings from the ICT sector has already crossed $800 million. We hope that it will cross $5 billion dollars in the next three years. A revolution is taking place in the ICT sector, thanks to policy support from the Government,” he added. Praising the efforts of BASIS to accelerate the growth if Bangladesh’s ICT Sector, Palak said: “BASIS has organised this grand award for the second time in a row. They have gone through rigorous processes to gather judges and scrutinise projects from all over Bangladesh. The awardees should feel very proud, as this is the most prestigious ICT award in Bangladesh.”