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Minister blames govt for ICT failures (in Bangladesh)

09/25/2005 (New Age BD) -- Minister blames govt for ICT failures (in Bangladesh)
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

While the LGRD and cooperatives minister talked high on government pledges for the development of the ICT sector, the minister for science and information & communication technology himself expressed frustration at the lack of support the government offers to the sector.

Both the ministers attended the opening ceremony of the BCS Computer Show 2005 in the city on Thursday where the minister for science and information & communication technology, Abdul Moyeen Khan, held the government responsible for not allowing the sector to grow though ICT was announced as a thrust sector.

Moyeen admitted the government could not develop enough institutional support that might help the sector grow. He said the government could not develop the infrastructure adequately especially for software development that might draw more investment for growth of the sector. He said the government adopted an ICT
policy, but could not implement it properly in the past three and a half years. Moyeen said, `The government has decided to give computer and internet services to all the high schools and intermediate colleges but the decision is yet to be implemented.'

He said the people of the country were aware of the importance of information and communication technology but they did not have much access to this technology. The LGRD and cooperatives minister, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, said the government thought of the ICT sector as the second most important export industry after readymade garments. He said this sector was suffering from a lack of skilled manpower. Bhuiyan who attended the function as chief guest underlined the need for learning English and mathematics in schools and colleges to attain the skill to enter the industry. Bangladesh Computer Samity organised the six-day computer exhibition at the Basundhara City Complex at Panthapath. A total of 104 local and foreign ICT companies have taken part in the country's biggest ICT show.

Besides showcasing the latest technology of computer and other technologies, laser show, game competition for visitors' entertainment and a number of seminars on computer and technology were organised in the exhibition.

In the opening ceremony, among others, the posts and telecommunication minister Aminul Hoque, the president of Bangladesh Computer Samity SM Iqbal, the executive chairman of the Board of Investment Mahmudur Rahman, convener of the BCS computer show ASM Abdul Fattah, also spoke. The show will remain open to the public from 10:00am to 9:00pm everyday until September 27.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com/front.html#2

Date: 09/25/2005
Location: Bangladesh
Theme: National ICT Strategies
Source: New Age BD