Promoting ICT sector's development
Friday, 31 August 2007
Abu Ahmed
A number of factors are converging happily for the information communication technology (lCT) sector of Bangladesh. The notable one among them is the availability of undersea cable connection to link Bangladesh relatively much faster with the information superhighway. Furthermore, a number of global and regional ICT companies have shown interest in expanding and intensifying their activities for training up students and ICT teachers. But notwithstanding the optimism centring on these developments, it must be realised that only having a ultra fast connection in place or the presence of international and regional companies in Bangladesh will not automatically upgrade the status of this country as an information communication technology (lCT) products' exporting country of some significance. Plans and their proper implementation are necessary for really achieving such a status.
Data entry firms are emerging in Bangladesh, albeit at a slower pace. However, data entry is only a part of the immensely prospective field of exporting ICT products. Substantially greater gains can be made from making and exporting software. But this also calls for some appropriate internal developments to attain capacity and reliability as a software producing country. It is necessary, as a precondition, to develop a pool of capable software makers in the country. This task can be accomplished relatively easily and quickly by increasing the demand for software products in the home economy. Thus, the government should encourage widespread use of software, locally, both to get the benefit of ICT for the domestic economy and to help the process of adding to the pool of skilled software producers. Therefore, as the major stepping stone to exporting software at the desired level, software making and their applications internally will have to be energetically promoted as part of short term strategy. The software export sector of the country has posted some impressive growth in recent years, though on a very modest base. Expanding software exports of Bangladesh, now going to 24 countries, is otherwise a positive development and this has to be sustained. Export of software will increase, provided the environment becomes truly friendly in the country to set the stage for the creation of more software makers. This again, as stated, is dependent on the taking up and implementation of different e-governance projects swiftly. Expanding of the domestic software markets will accelerate the overall rate of the creation of software makers for availability of more experienced and skilled persons to work for the export-oriented sector. This will happen only under enabling conditions created by appropriate policy-supports and their effective implementation.
There are also other areas waiting for a helping hand. For instance, the assistance of the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) should be actively sought for ICT development, particularly by giving them incentives to set up software companies in Bangladesh. The establishment of an ICT village like the software technology parks in India is still in the drawing boards. The village plan requires faster implementation to facilitate the export of ICT products. ICT graduates and diploma holders in the country are not gaining the skills for this sector, fully, in many cases. This is because most of the public and private sector ICT institutions are lagging behind the developed countries in incorporating ICT education in their curricula. This deficiency, as well highlighted in a report in this paper the other day. should be urgently and effectively addressed.
A number of factors are converging happily for the information communication technology (lCT) sector of Bangladesh. The notable one among them is the availability of undersea cable connection to link Bangladesh relatively much faster with the information superhighway. Furthermore, a number of global and regional ICT companies have shown interest in expanding and intensifying their activities for training up students and ICT teachers. But notwithstanding the optimism centring on these developments, it must be realised that only having a ultra fast connection in place or the presence of international and regional companies in Bangladesh will not automatically upgrade the status of this country as an information communication technology (lCT) products' exporting country of some significance. Plans and their proper implementation are necessary for really achieving such a status.
Data entry firms are emerging in Bangladesh, albeit at a slower pace. However, data entry is only a part of the immensely prospective field of exporting ICT products. Substantially greater gains can be made from making and exporting software. But this also calls for some appropriate internal developments to attain capacity and reliability as a software producing country. It is necessary, as a precondition, to develop a pool of capable software makers in the country. This task can be accomplished relatively easily and quickly by increasing the demand for software products in the home economy. Thus, the government should encourage widespread use of software, locally, both to get the benefit of ICT for the domestic economy and to help the process of adding to the pool of skilled software producers. Therefore, as the major stepping stone to exporting software at the desired level, software making and their applications internally will have to be energetically promoted as part of short term strategy. The software export sector of the country has posted some impressive growth in recent years, though on a very modest base. Expanding software exports of Bangladesh, now going to 24 countries, is otherwise a positive development and this has to be sustained. Export of software will increase, provided the environment becomes truly friendly in the country to set the stage for the creation of more software makers. This again, as stated, is dependent on the taking up and implementation of different e-governance projects swiftly. Expanding of the domestic software markets will accelerate the overall rate of the creation of software makers for availability of more experienced and skilled persons to work for the export-oriented sector. This will happen only under enabling conditions created by appropriate policy-supports and their effective implementation.
There are also other areas waiting for a helping hand. For instance, the assistance of the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) should be actively sought for ICT development, particularly by giving them incentives to set up software companies in Bangladesh. The establishment of an ICT village like the software technology parks in India is still in the drawing boards. The village plan requires faster implementation to facilitate the export of ICT products. ICT graduates and diploma holders in the country are not gaining the skills for this sector, fully, in many cases. This is because most of the public and private sector ICT institutions are lagging behind the developed countries in incorporating ICT education in their curricula. This deficiency, as well highlighted in a report in this paper the other day. should be urgently and effectively addressed.