ICT sector fetches $86.07m in first 8 months of current FY

Local computer service industry has achieved a tremendous export growth in the first eight months of the current financial year (FY) 2014-15 thanks to its international standard and diversified products.
The growth of the country's IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) is very encouraging as many of the local entrepreneurs have been exporting their products to world markets.
Demand for local IT and ITES increased by more than 14 per cent in last July-February period both in domestic and international markets.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data showed, during the period Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector earned around $ 86.07 million.
The EPB data also showed the ICT sector earned around $ 124.72 million in FY 2013-14.
According to the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), the main destinations of Bangladeshi computer service are the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan , Finland and India.
Local IT service and ITES are getting popularity in the world markets because of their best quality work, Uttam Kumar Paul, Secretary General of BASIS told the FE.
He said, "We have been expecting 20 per cent export growth from IT and ITES by the end of the year".
Mr Kumar said they have an ambition of exporting software worth $ 1.0 billion within a short time as the local entrepreneurs have a lot of grounds to reach the magic figure.
He said entrepreneurs have been providing many of computer services including accounting and finance, content and document management, marketing and sales automation to animation, multimedia and graphics in the global markets.
The sector players said to fulfil the global demand many of the local companies have established their projects through joint-venture with foreign partners.
They said the IT and ITES sector has big opportunity as it has been playing a significant contribution to the national economy.
Rashidul Hasan, vice president of BASIS said keeping commitment is the main reason behind grabbing global markets of IT and ITES.
He said, "Now the international clients' confidence in our capacity-building is growing day by day".
He said many of the global customers have been turning to us from several destinations as production cost in Bangladesh is very low compared to other countries.
Mr Hasan, also Managing Director of Systech Digital Limited said the local players are taking a number of measures for expanding their markets across the world.
He said they are improving significantly in a lot of areas including capability development, strategic support, as well as proper planning and strategy development.
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