ICT to spawn highest jobs by 2021: Muhith

FE Report Finance Minister AMA Muhith said information and communication technology (ICT) sector will unseat apparel and agriculture sectors as the country's top employment generator by 2021. He said the growing industry will help the government achieve its goal for a Digital Bangladesh by significantly reducing the rate of poverty as thousands of talented youths enter the industry each year. The finance minister's optimism came Monday after inaugurating the five-day exhibition of the country's annual showcase BCS ICT World 2011 under the theme of Digital Education for Digital Bangladesh. Organised by Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), a platform of ICT companies in Bangladesh, the information technology -based fair will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) for the promotion and development of the sector. "Garment industry will go far behind as the second largest employment-generating sector followed by agriculture by 2021 and the government will do everything for the development of the sector," Mr Muhith said. He said the garment industry is not ensuring sufficient job opportunity. "Employment has to come from ICT. We've been able to create domestic market of ICT and that's why different types of software industries are developing in the country," he said. He said there are two main things, which are yet to be made digital. "One is land digitsation and e-governance," he mentioned with a promise that his government will be able to start the initiative about these before the end of its tenure. The minister also informed that they have seriously been working towards the goal as information service centres were launched in each of the union parishad headquarters a year ago and e-tender as well as e-admission were introduced to bring transparency and accountability. He also admitted that the district web portal and information centres could not make a head way due to lack of maintenance, timely updating and power crisis. "We're taking measures to overcome theese problems, he added." The ICT experts, however, demanded measures to further reducing duty rate on computer and its equipment so that young generation could use ICT as an important tool for development. BCS President Mostafa Jabbar said the sale of computers has shot up three times over the last two years due to ICT- friendly attitude of the government. "The rate of duty on computer and its accessories should be brought down to zero so that people could avail the technology at a cheaper price," he added. They also laid the importance of ICT in the country's education system to enjoy more benefits of the initiative. A total of 50 ICT firms from home and abroad are participating in 70 stalls and 30 pavilions for exchanging knowledge in education and experience on ICT. The event will remain open to the visitors from 10:00am to 9:00pm. The entry fee of the fair would be Tk 20 for every individual. However, school students would get free access to the fair on production of their identity cards. State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman and platinum sponsor of the event Banglalion Communications Limited chairman Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan also addressed the programme.