BD draws world attention in telecom, ICT in 2014

FE Team | Published: December 28, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The country's telecom and ICT (information and communications technology) sectors passed a significant year in 2014 achieving remarkable progress in technology and services, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) data shows that the growth in mobile users was robust in the outgoing year as it reached at close to 120 million at the end of November when the number of landline phone subscribers was over 10 million.
The cellular phone operators have brought all 64 districts under "3G" coverage.
Some 45 million people are using internet when around 0.60 million free-lancers are working in the IT sector, generating nearly US$300 million from outsourcing in the past 11 months until November.
Another project is going on to develop 55,000 free-lancers to expedite income from outsourcing.
A report of the Washington-based global IT research organisation Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) noted that use of ICT products among the mid-income people of Bangladesh increased by 81 per cent while 167 per cent among higher income people and 52 per cent among lower income group.
The rapid expansion of telecom and ICT-based services has also opened a new horizon for the unbanked people in the country through the innovative mobile banking services.
Currently around 25 million registered customers of mobile banking are transacting nearly Tk 3.23 billion daily through 0.51 million registered agents across the country.
Both mobile and land phones and internet are also being used for providing people with some basic but essential services like telemedicine, online birth registration, online TIN (tax identification number) certificate, online application for passport and information about market prices and obtaining orders from buyers and sellers.
Bangladesh was elected member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council for the second times, and won the Global ICT Excellence Award and ITU e-Governance award.
On October 27, Bangladesh was elected the member of the ITU Council for the second consecutive term for the Asia Pacific region in a strong competition.
The country secured the 7th position, bagging 115 votes among the 13 Council members from this region elected for a four-year term. A total of 18 countries took part in the election for the Asia and the Oceania zone, held at Bussan City of South Korea.
The country also won global ICT award for its advances in information and communication technology. A committee of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), comprising experts from 80 member-countries, selected the awardees in recognition of their innovative work in the information technology sector.
On June 10, Bangladesh won ITU e-Governance award, which is commonly known as WSIS award. The WSIS Award is a global recognition with regards to creation, distribution, use, integration of ICTs in economic, political and cultural activities in the country.