FE Report
Administrative complexities have slowed the implementation of much-awaited Kaliakoir hi-tech park project, officials and IT industry people said.
To expand the technology-based industries, the government took an initiative to establish a hi-tech park in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur in 2001.
The government has also planned to establish hi-tech parks in seven divisional headquarters. The process of acquiring land in the seven divisional headquarters is now going on.
According to sources, the government has already acquired 162 acres of land in Sylhet, 98 acres in Chittagong and seven acres in Natore while 97 acres of land have been brought under Kaliakoir hi-tech park project.
Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority of ICT Division under the ministry of post and telecommunications said: "We are developing lands in the seven divisional headquarters to set up hi-tech parks."
She said even though there is no tangible progress, but there would be some visible developments within next six months.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) office is trying to develop Kaliakoir park with private investments, she said, adding that but no agreement has yet been signed between the government and private party.
The post and telecommunications ministry official said with support from the World Bank, infrastructural development work is going on at Kaliakoir park.
Mustafa Jabbar, a former president of Bangladesh Computer Samity, said Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park project could not be implemented over the last decade though the demand for ICT infrastructure is growing.
He said most of the ICT and other entrepreneurs are located in and around Dhaka, but the government has focused its concentration on remote locations.
Janata Tower located in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka is also facing uncertainty as its developer filed a writ petition with the court.
Hashim Ahmed, secretary of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (Basis) said, it is still uncertain when the government may resolve the exiting problem with Janata Tower.
He said it is a good place for ICT entrepreneurs. Even though some firms started their operation at Janata Tower, but later they were facing some problems.
The Basis secretary said the government has already spent a large amount of money in Janata Tower which was supposed to be an ICT Park.
He said, a Videoconference System was set up at Janata Tower to help ICT entrepreneurs and international buyers, but all the investments are now rendered useless.
Hi-Tech Park Authority officials said, the government is trying to resolve the legal problems.
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