The government has undertaken an initiative to set up training and incubation centers for IT training across the country with the aim of transforming the communication technology sector into one of the driving forces of the country’s economy.
The government is emphasizing information technology in the transition from a middle-income country to a developed country.
Various initiatives have been taken to build knowledge-based human resources. The goal is to transform the information and communication technology sector into an economic booster for the country.
For this, various types of IT centers will be set up across the country under the authority of Hi-Tech Parks.
As part of this, the government’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) department have taken a project to set up training and incubation centers for IT training in 14 districts of the country this year.
In addition, these centers have been named after Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The project titled “Establishment of 14 Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centers” has already been proposed to the Planning Commission. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Tk 1,114.62 crore.
The 14 districts in which incubation centers have been proposed are, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Narail, Dhaka, Tangail, Gopalganj, Sherpur, Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Feni and Patuakhali.
Under the project, in addition to the seven-story foundation incubation building, a two-story security building will be constructed for each incubation center.
Necessary land acquisition and development will be done for this. Other construction works in the incubation center area are also covered under the project.
Besides, opportunities for overseas training have also been provided for 70 people.
Officials of the ICT department said that if the project is implemented and IT training and incubation centers are set up in 14 districts, it will be possible to create infrastructural facilities for conducting business activities of IT and high-tech industries.
In addition to building a connection between academia with the IT industry, the ICT department believes that the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector can be brought on a single platform in every region of the country.
According to the project proposal, so far 39 high-tech IT parks have been set up in the country. The work of setting up software technology, IT business, and training and incubation centers have been completed in seven places.
Establishing IT parks in various potential regions of the country can play an important role in creating employment for a large number of young unemployed and encouraging foreign investors to invest.
This is because these parks will create public infrastructural facilities to create IT sector institutions.
An official of the Planning Commission said that a meeting of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) was held on December 8 last year after receiving proposals from the ICT department.
“The meeting reviewed the project proposal and made some recommendations,” he mentioned.
“In compliance with those recommendations, the project has been recommended to present at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC),” he said, adding that if approved, it will be implemented by Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority by December 2026.
Mosammat Nasima Begum, Member (Secretary) of the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission in charge of the project, said that this is a big project for the ICT sector.
“A large number of young unemployed people will get the opportunity to take IT training from these centers,” said Nasima Begum.
“As a result,” she mentioned, “Skilled manpower required for ICT companies will also be created from here.”
“Young people, obtaining training from the centres, will also have the opportunity to work as freelancers,” she said, adding that, they can launch startups and develop themselves as entrepreneurs.
Nasima Begum further said, “The incubation centers will create infrastructural facilities in the ICT sector. As a result, there will be an opportunity to develop ICT sector institutions. Foreign investors will also get skilled manpower in the ICT sector. As a result, it will be easier to attract foreign investment in this sector.”
