BNP Pledges One Million ICT Jobs, Prioritising Freelancing and Cybersecurity
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has unveiled a plan to create one million jobs in the country’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector if the party comes to power. He disclosed the plan during the concluding segment of the party’s election manifesto announcement on Friday, February 6, in the late afternoon at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital.
Highlighting five priority areas, including cybersecurity, Tarique Rahman said the BNP aims to generate a total of one million ICT-related jobs—800,000 through freelancing and an additional 200,000 through direct employment. He also reiterated commitments to support emerging export-oriented industries such as electronics, electrical goods, and toy manufacturing by ensuring bonded warehouse facilities and avoiding frequent policy changes. The manifesto further reaffirmed plans to introduce high-speed free internet services at selected locations across the country.
He said the service sector would be transformed through technology-driven initiatives to create new employment opportunities. According to the plan, 200,000 direct jobs will be created in five key areas—cybersecurity, business process outsourcing (BPO), artificial intelligence (AI) data services, semiconductors, and Industry 4.0—while another 800,000 jobs will be generated indirectly through freelancing and content creation.
The ICT section of the manifesto states that by maximising innovation and ICT service exports, the BNP aims to increase the sector’s contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 5 percent to 10 percent.
The manifesto also outlines plans to introduce vocational education at the secondary level, enhance digital skills, launch career portals and job-matching services, and establish a National Digital Skills Authority. Commitments have been made to support innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship.
Under employment and youth development programmes, ICT will be integrated into national initiatives, with office space and free Wi-Fi to be provided at IT parks. The party also plans to offer freelancing and outsourcing training, provide SME loans, and facilitate integration with global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba. Additional pledges include developing new technology-based industries, introducing international payment systems, and rationalising the tax structure.
The manifesto announcement event was presided over by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, while the programme was conducted by Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of the party’s Standing Committee and Chairman of the Election Steering Committee.
DBTech/BH/IM/OR
