Mobile phone handsets manufactured in Bangladesh have started exporting to the international market for the second time. Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mostafa Jabbar has expressed such hope that digital devices manufactured in Bangladesh will be exported to 50 countries in the next five years.
The Minister expressed such hope in his speech as the chief guest at the inaugural function of the Symphony Mobile Phone Handset Manufacturing Factory in Ashulia, Savar today.
“As a result of the government’s digital technology-friendly policy, mobile handsets manufactured in domestic factories have been meeting 63% of the country’s total demand since 2018”, the minister said.
Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman, BTRC Chairman Shyam Sundar Sikder and Edison Group Managing Director Zakaria Shahid spoke on the occasion.
The Minister for Posts and Telecommunications said that in line with the directive given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 6, 2015 to transform Bangladesh from a digital importer to a producer and exporter country, Bangladesh has been transformed from a country to a producer and exporter. The Minister is hopeful that Made in Bangladesh mobile handsets will be able to take a big place in the international market competition if we can ensure production of world class mobile handsets and comparatively affordable prices without compromising with quality.
Mostafa Jabbar, a pioneer in the development of digital technology, described his long experience of 35 years in the world of digital technology, saying that our main strength is the young people. Mentioning that the boys and girls of this generation are very talented, he said, “Even without studying space science, our boys and girls are controlling Bangabandhu Satellite-1 from the ground station uninterruptedly and efficiently.” Similarly, without studying about the production of digital technology, about 30,000 young people are working in the production process in 14 mobile factories of the country with efficiency. Mr. Mostafa Jabbar, the inventor of Bengali language in digital technology, said that it would be difficult to guess that we are not an industrialized country if we look at the mobile units established by private enterprises in production units. Noting that the government will continue to support the development of digital technology, he said, The government is committed to provide all possible assistance in the production and export of digital devices. He called upon the people involved in the production of mobile handsets to come forward to manufacture tabs, computers and laptops as well in the factories.
In his speech as a special guest, the Secretary for Posts and Telecommunications said that it is a matter of great pride for the export of Made in Bangladesh mobile handsets to the international market beyond the borders of Bangladesh. He noted that the software and hardware industry, which has become a labor-intensive industry in Bangladesh, would further accelerate the country’s progress.
The BTRC Chairman emphasized the need to maintain the quality of the products manufactured and said that BTRC is working sincerely for the development of this industry including mobile handset manufacturing.
The Minister, Secretary, Chairman of BTRC and their entourage toured the various production units of the factory. During this time they talked to the workers working in different units of the factory. They expressed satisfaction over the production units of the factory.