To accelerate the economy and development of Bangladesh, the Government of Bangladesh laid out Digital Bangladesh as its key development vision. The Government has declared ICT as a thrust sector for its rapid growth. Acknowledging this fact, Bangladesh Government has deployed a comprehensive ICT Policy and several supporting programs. Digital Bangladesh aspires not only to make the country a modern knowledge-based society by 2021 but also to establish it as the world’s next ICT destination in the South Asian region. The GoB has emphasized the importance of integrating ICTs within the national development agenda for almost 20 years, emphasizing ICT exports as a key priority. The ICT Ministry has a target of ICT exports of $5 billion a year which requires hundreds of millions in investments into IT and IT-enabled services, e-commerce, fintech, and other technology startups.
Bangladesh has a sizable young workforce and high-cost competitiveness (20-30% less than in India or Philippines which is estimated to only strengthen with the completion of IT parks, a major key value proposition for companies looking to outsource or offshore operations. Leading global IT service providers like Wipro, IBM, TCS, NTT Data, Infosys, and WPP have already entered the market through delivery center set-ups and joint ventures with local companies.
Session Objectives:
• Deliberating on Digital Economy’s potential both globally and in Bangladesh and highlighting the recent strides the country has taken in capturing it.
• Discuss the digital capabilities of youth in the country and key initiatives taken to fortify a skilled workforce.
• Highlight the different benefits extended to entrepreneurs in line with GoB’s commitment to Digital Bangladesh, and investment opportunities.
ONE OF THE TOP FOUR FASTEST GROWING DIGITAL ECONOMIES OF THE WORLD. – GCI
