Bangladesh News

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the government has taken steps to get connected with a second submarine cable soon to overcome some weaknesses that have limited the adoption of ICT in all sectors.

“Despite some successes during the last few years in this sector, including formulation of National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy -2002, adoption of ICT in all sectors have so far been limited,” Fakhruddin said.

He was inaugurating the SOFTEXPO 2008 at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital, organised by Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

The CA said the government has identified some of the key reasons behind the limited adoption of ICT. These include lack of awareness of what ICT could offer, insufficient telecommunications infrastructure and Internet connectivity, expensive Internet access, absence of adequate legal and regulatory frameworks and shortage of requisite manpower.

“I am happy to inform you that during the last one year we have taken several measures to overcome these weaknesses,” he said. And he mentioned the framing of National Broadband Policy, reduction of bandwidth price and arrangements for alternative fibre optic connection between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar.

“Efforts are on to have a second submarine cable,” the CA said.

Preparations are going on for issuance of licences for Call Centre, IP Telephony, WiMAX and 3G.

The existing submarine cable launched in 2006 at a cost of $35.1 million to provide faster IT communication is facing disruptions in Internet connectivity at present.

The second submarine cable, experts say, will act as an additional physical backup for its connectivity with the Information Superhighway. It will also feed its growing demand for Internet and overseas telecom requirements.

Fakhruddin said, “The more connected and active a country is in the global knowledge and information economy, the better the chances of the country to achieve accelerated social-economic development.

“Our government is committed to building an effective Information Society in the country. The task of building Information Society is not about technology alone. It is about the end results of technology. It is about people.”

The CA said ICT could be catalytic in helping countries achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to cut poverty, framed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000.

“It (building Information Society) is about bridging the digital divide and connecting the unconnected,” he said, identifying ‘partnership’ among all information societies as crucial to extending benefits of the communication revolution to all.

“Let us put all our efforts together to make the vision of Information Society a reality.”

Pointing out Bangladesh IT companies’ steady progress in global outsourcing arena, Fakhruddin said different IT companies are also coming to Bangladesh because of the quality of local manpower, which is abundantly available at a competitive price.

The CA stressed providing training to equip people with skills appropriate for the global services market.

“If the government, the private sector and the academic institutions can work together for grooming and training skilled manpower, then it will be possible to generate large-scale employment opportunities in the country within a short period,” he said.

The five-day SOFTEXPO, an annual event of the country’s software makers, was organised by BASIS with cooperation from Danish IT Industry Association (IT-Brachen), Danish Federation of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (DPSME), Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCIP), UK Trade and Investment and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

The Daily Star and Radio Today act as the media partner in the exposition attended by over 150 exhibitors.

Special Assistant to the CA for Science and ICT Ministry Manik Lal Somaddar, Danish Ambassador in Dhaka Einar Hebogard Jensen and BASIS President Rafiqul Islam Rowly also spoke on the occasion.