DHAKA, Jan 20, 2018 (BSS) – Around three lakh jobs are expected to be created as the government has taken initiatives to set up hi-tech parks/software technology parks in all divisions and districts for the development of IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES) sector.
Sources at the Information and Communication Technology Ministry said steps have been taken to set up hi-tech parks/software technology parks in all divisions and districts under the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority for the development of IT/ITES sector and generating employment.
The sources said the work on establishing Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City at Kaliakoir in Gazipur is going on in full swing. The park, which is being set up on 355 acres of land in the Public-Private Partnership model, is expected to create employment for nearly one lakh people.
Currently space has been allocated against six companies in the park, the sources said, adding 40 persons are now working in these firms.
Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park was set up in Jessore on 12.13 acres of land at a cost of Tk 240.73 crore opening up a new horizon of potentiality in the country’s ICT sector.
The park inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 10 last year is expected to generate employment for 10,000 people. Currently 235 people are working in 33 companies, according to the sources.
The sources said 15 IT/ITES companies have so far been given space at Janata Tower Software Technology Park at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka and of them, 10 companies have started their activities.
The park is expected to create employment for 2,500 people. Presently, 700 persons are working in 10 firms.
The work on establishing Sylhet Electronic City at Companyganj in Sylhet, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi and Mohakhali IT Village in Dhaka is underway.
Of them, Sylhet Electronic City is likely to create 50,000 employments, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park in Rajshahi 14,000 and Mohakhali IT Village in Dhaka 30,000 jobs.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on April 24 last year approved setting up high-tech parks in 12 districts in the country.
The parks will be built in Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur, Chittagong, Comilla, Cox’s Bazar, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Natore, Gopalganj, Dhaka and in Sylhet at a cost of Taka 1796.40 crore under the project titled “Establishing IT Park/High-Tech Park in District Level (12 Districts)”.
The 12 parks are likely to create jobs for 60,000 people, the sources said.
Besides, 4,250 people are currently working in 12 private software technology parks in the country.
Apart from this, the government has taken initiatives to set up Barind Silicon City in Rajshahi and Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre in seven districts including Natore and Magura as well as IT Business Incubator Centre in Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology and Khulna IT Park at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology.
These schemes will also create job opportunities for a huge number of people, the sources hoped.