Construction works of 28 hi-tech/IT parks underway

FT ONLINE

To establish infrastructure for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country, the construction of 28 hi-tech/IT parks is now underway.

“With completion of the construction work, around 300,000 people would get employment in the hi-tech parks,” State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak said here today.

He said the government has also announced 12 organizations and non-government organizations as software Technology Park in the country to materialize the Digital Bangladesh, adding “Sheikh Hasina software technology park in Jashore and Janata software technology park at Karwan Bazar have already started operation.”

The primary construction of infrastructure of the first ever high-tech park ‘‘Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City’ at Kaliakoir upazila in Gazipur district has already been completed on public-private partnership (PPP) method, Palak said.

“The Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed is always monitoring the ICT sector and giving realistic suggestions to materialize the digital Bangladesh to fulfill the vision 2021, the state minister said.

He said construction work of three buildings is being done under the PPP method through two developer companies, adding, “In the first phase a Developer Company (Summit Technopolis BD Ltd) constructed 60,000 square feet for Sri Lankan Laptop Assembling Factory, while construction work is undergoing for signature building with 1,65,000 square feet.”

According to official sources, the construction work of a multi-tenant building with 1,86,000 square feet is almost in the final stage. There are six organisations engaged in the hi-tech park.

Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City’ would create employment for around 100,000 people, while another hi-tech part in Sylhet (Sylhet Electronics City) would create employment for 50,000, he said.

Apart from this, the government is constructing IT/High-Tech Park in district level (12 districts) and construction work of Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre is underway.

Recently, ECNEC approved a project for establishing IT Business and Incubation Centre at Chittagong University of Science and Technology, the official added.

He said the Access to Information (A2I) Programme of the Prime Minister's Office along with the ICT Division has been working to materialize the goal of Digital Bangladesh.

The government is working relentlessly to make skilled manpower in ICT sector as the ICT sector is flourishing in the country.