IT industry development and export development will be given priority: Joy

In a meeting- titled ‘Policy Cafe with Sajeeb Wazed Joy on ICT’ - held at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka to prepare an ICT guideline, he said that, “The IT industry will cross the earnings of the garment sector if its earning rate is maintained.”
This meeting was held to involve the young entrepreneurs and professionals in reviewing and reforming National ICT Policy, 2009. Young leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals stated their opinion about reforming to Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Joy has set a target of $1 billion export earnings only from the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in five years from now.
If this trend continues, he says, this sector will overtake the readymade garment sector in export earnings.
The RMG sector, worth $20 billion, is Bangladesh's largest export revenue earner.
Asked what kind of initiatives would be taken in the next five years for the ICT sector, the prime minister’s son said his target during the past five years was building a knowledge-based society. “Now we have made huge progresses in digitalisation, infrastructure, IT education and IT skill development.”
He said the country would now have to use all that as a base to move forward.
“Export earnings from this sector were $23 million when we started, but now its $200 million. We will maintain this growth rate and I hope it will be $1 billion in the next five years.”
Joy stated his ambition to stand out as an IT economy and IT outsourcing destination.
“We will be able to make quick progress once the software industry is established.”
Regarding bringing changes to the National Information and Communications Technology Policy 2009, Joy said, “There is no harm in formulating the policy a little later. I’m emphasising fast implementation. Policy can be revised again and again if necessary.”
“Our goal is to go forward. Bangladesh will prosper until the day Awami League is in power.”
Asked whether he had any cause for frustration despite the progress made in the last five years, Joy said, “Of course, there are frustrations, but we have made significant progresses in services and digitalisation.”
“But I did not take a step on implementing the plan to take fibre optic cables to Union (Parishads across the country) in last five years. It can be done in next five years.”
He continued, “Right now, Bangladesh is in the third spot in freelancing. However, most of the freelancers don’t have the policy for marketing. But they are being trained in business cases so that they can make progresses in the business.”
An e-commerce entrepreneur asked Joy to introduce Paypal in Bangladesh for the ease of transaction.
Joy said mobile banking was needed for monetary transactions inside Bangladesh and PayPal for taking foreign payments.
He said Bangladesh fulfilled all the criteria to qualify for the introduction of PayPal services but the authorities of the international online money transfer agency were not interested in the market here.
“Pressure is being put on them (PayPal). We’re still waiting for PayPal, but we need not do so. We can tie up with MasterCard or Visa Card or we can develop our own e-system.”
Asked about the next initiatives for development of ICT infrastructure, he said the second submarine cable would be installed.
Joy said besides BTCL and mobile-phone operators, two National Technical Transfer Network (NTTN) companies are installing the fibre optic lines.
Dhaka University teacher Dr Mamun said seats in ICT-related disciplines had not increased. He suggested formulation of a policy for promotion of virtual education.
Google Country Representative Kazi Monirul Kabir echoed Mamun and said reforms in banking and other related sectors were also needed.
Joy, however, said: “The notion that everything has to be reformed is wrong. ‘Reform’ has been a buzzword. It’s not that Bangladesh will be America if everything is reformed.”

State Minister for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said ICT services had been made available to the marginal people.
He said the government wanted to build a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by 2021.