Bangladesh focussing on Indian IT firms for joint venture

The government is focusing on Indian information technology (IT) companies for joint venture projects in the IT sector, said the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) secretary Nazrul Islam Khan here on Friday.

Bangladesh government’s Minister for Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Abdul Latif Siddiqui said that considerable focus is on Indian companies for building “Digital Bangladesh.” They were addressing the gathering at the ICT (information and communication technology) East 2014 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Eastern Region, the Hindu reports.

On the proposed high tech parks in Sylhet (500 acres), Dhaka (232 acres), and Jessore (10 acres), Mr. Khan said that “Indian firms are in contention for bagging the projects”.

Mr. Siddiqui is leading a high-powered team, including Mr. Khan, to interact with CEOs of Indian IT farms and to involve them in Bangladesh’s “pursuit of e-governance, e-education, cyber security, capacity building, skill development, and training programmes”.

“Bangladesh wants India companies to get involved in Bangladesh’s planned e-revolution. We want to work together, grow together, and prosper together,” said Mr. Khan. He also said that Indian companies are welcome in Bangladesh to impart e-learning there for which the World Bank has sanctioned a loan. Pointing out that many Indian IT companies are already working in Bangladesh in the banking sector, he said, “We want Indian companies to have a wider presence.”