City high-tech park to be set up at Demra with an investment potential of Tk 5,000 crore

A city high-tech park will be set up on 115 acres of land at Demra, in the capital.  The investment will be five thousand crore Taka. The developer City Group estimated that after the opening of the park, 15,000 people will be employed here. The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority officially vested the responsibility to City Group as the park developer on Thursday (August 19). An agreement was signed between the two organizations at the ICT Tower in the presence of NM Zeaul Alam, Senior Secretary, Department of Information & Communication Technology. Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority signed the agreement in the meeting room of the organization's Managing Director. Bikarna Kumar Ghosh and City Hi-Tech Park Limited Chairman Md. Hasan. NM Shafiqul Islam, Director (Finance and Administration) of Hi-Tech Park Authority and officials of both the organizations were present at the occasion. City Group has already begun work on preparing a masterplan, conducting a feasibility study and conducting an environmental survey after receiving permission to set up the park last May. Today, through this agreement, Citigroup, as a high-tech park developer will enjoy the opportunity to do all the work related to park development including STP installation, developing all kinds of off-site and on-site facilities, earth filling, electricity, gas and water supply, construction of standard buildings, wide roads inside the park, lakes, high quality food courts and so on. In addition, all modern facilities will be ensured in the park to attract domestic and foreign investors. Speaking as the chief guest at the signing ceremony, NM Zeaul Alam, Senior Secretary, ICT Department, welcomed the City Group and said that the City Group is a popular name in home and abroad. Other companies in the country will also be encouraged as big companies like Citigroup come forward to set up high-tech parks. He hoped that Citigroup would develop the park as soon as possible to create a vibrant working environment. Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, Managing Director, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority said that 5 high-tech parks are ready for investment in the country at the moment and three more parks are awaiting inauguration. Various companies are already working on 355 acres of land in Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City at Kaliakair in Gazipur. The products produced from here are being exported abroad. So far, more than 140 local startup companies have been allotted free space/co-working space in high-tech parks. The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority has created a skilled manpower in the ICT sector through various trainings considering the demand for manpower in the IT industry. The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority has created about 21,000 direct jobs in the ICT sector by 2020. Citi Group has been declared a private high-tech park, thanking the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority. Hasan said, "We will make the electronics and technology products that no one could even think of making in Bangladesh." Microprocessor, chip design, circuit design, mobile, laptop, tv, fridge manufacturing/assembly, software development, digital and technology consultancy firm, network, data center, cyber security, programming, project management etc. Domestic and foreign investors will be encouraged to set up units. Dormitories and science parks will also be set up. An estimated Taka 5,000 crore will be invested in the City high-tech park and 15,000 jobs will be created, he opined.