The first ever IT Business Incubator of Bangladesh at the university level is going to be opened as another bold step of the government towards building a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041. The Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator will start its journey on Wednesday (July 6) at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET).
Although there are such business incubators in various world renowned universities for creating entrepreneurial and knowledge-based companies, this is the first of its kind in any university of Bangladesh.
Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology Assistant Director (PR) Rashed Parvez told Digi Bangla that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator, Sheikh Jamal Dormitory and Rosy Jamal Dormitory by joining online from the Ganobhaban. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Information and Communication Technology Sajeeb Wazed Joy will also be present on the occasion. State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP will deliver the welcome address. The event will be held simultaneously on online platforms from Ganobhaban, Ministry of ICT and CUET ends.
After the inaugural ceremony of Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator, the 2nd meeting of the Board of Governors of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority will be held. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also preside over the meeting from Ganobhaban. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Information and Communication Technology Sajeeb Wazed Joy will be connected virtually. State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak will be accompanied by Managing Director of Hi-Tech Park Authority Bikarna Kumar Ghosh from the meeting room of Information and Communication Technology Division. According to sources, the virtual test of the opening ceremony in the evening has also been completed.
On the other hand, Alhaj ABM, Fazle Karim Chowdhury, MP of Chittagong-6 constituency will be present at the inauguration of the country’s first IT business incubator from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology. CUET Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, government officials and employees, people’s representatives, political personalities, CUET teachers, officials and students and people of different classes and professions, stakeholders from Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator are also expected to be present.
What’s there in the IT Business Incubator?
Under the Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator project, a 10-storey incubation building of 50,000 square feet and a 6-storey multipurpose training building of 36,000 square feet have been constructed on about 5 acres (4.7 acres) of land inside the CUET campus. Incubation Building includes Startup Zone, Idea / Innovation Zone, Industry-Academic Zone, Brainstorming Zone, E-Library, Data Center, Research Lab, Bangabandhu Corner, Exhibition Center, Video Conferencing Room, Meeting Room. There is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab, a machine learning lab, a big data lab, an optical fiber backbone, a sub-station and a solar panel to facilitate the work of entrepreneurs and researchers. There are also separate corners for banks and IT firms, state-of-the-art cyber cafes, food courts, cafeterias, recreation zones, maker spaces, display zones, press / media coverage zones, Own parking facilities etc. On the other hand, the multipurpose training building has a well-equipped auditorium with a capacity of 250 people and 6 separate computer lab cum seminar rooms with a capacity of 30 people. Besides, two separate dormitory buildings (1 for females and 1for males) with 4 floors each covering an area of 20,000 square feet have been constructed. Each dormitory has 40 rooms. In addition, a state-of-the-art research lab with two mini supercomputers will be set up soon.
CUET Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator Project to build a ‘Smart Bangladesh’:
The University of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) aims to generate successful entrepreneurs in the country’s IT sector, encourage research and innovation at the university level and further enrich the industry-academy collaboration as well as expand Bangladesh’s global reach in the IT sector. The first ever Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator has been set up. The project was implemented under the supervision of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority under the Information and Communication Technology Division at a cost of about Tk. 117.7 crore. It may be noted that the purpose of establishing a University-based IT Business Incubator is to provide an effective mechanism for research innovation and entrepreneurship within academic institutions. It is expected that this incubator will play an important role in building a ‘smart Bangladesh’ by 2041 by creating skilled graduates in the IT sector to meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.