ICT Sector in Our Bangladesh........

ICT Sector in Bangladesh- The rise of an emerging industry Bimalshaha

• Bangladesh – the verdant delta plain around the confluence of three mighty rivers of Asia, namely, Ganges, Jamuna and Brahmaputra – is known to the world at large as home to over one hundred million of the world’s poorest. What, however, is not known of this once agriculturally abundant land is the fact that it is also home to one of the world’s biggest ready-made-garments industries, and that nearly ten million of its people are college graduates. This large educated workforce, most of whom can read, write, and understand spoken English is shaping a new industry in Bangladesh i.e. the information technology industry.

• Use of computers in Bangladesh as a research and data manipulation tool dates back more than 30 years. Today computers are widely used in offices, businesses, educational institutions, at home and in the filed. In one of the most progressive policy orientation towards ICT of any nation on earth today, Bangladesh allows 100% duty-and-tax-free import of all computer hardware and software which expedites the use of computers and the growth of the ICT industry.

• The ICT industry in Bangladesh is represented by two industry bodies, namely Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS). BASIS, established in 1998, is a relatively new industry association whose membership count stands at 34 today and is growing steadily. All major software development and data processing firms of the country are its members. BCS on the other hand, formed in 1988, represents computer business firms in general. Its membership stands at more than 100 firms today including such hardware and software manufacturers as Acer, Compaq, Dell, Digital, HP, IBM, ICL-Fujitsu, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, SCO, Sun Microsystems, Unisys and others are represented in Bangladesh. The size of the IT industry in Bangladesh is estimated at around USD 150 million, and is growing at a rate of more than 20% each year.