S. M. Imdadul Haq, from BHT City, Gazipur
The government is giving utmost importance to the production of technology products in the country to be self-reliant in technology. To support the process, the government has introducing special train facilities for quick and easy travel of investors and employees. The U-loop has also been completed. Now Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City Station can be reached in 50 minutes from Dhaka Cantonment Station. The ICT Department has also started a clean-up campaign to establish the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City located at Kaliakoir in Gazipur district as a new hub for the production of technology products. Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority has canceled the contract with three companies due to violation of conditions. During the inspection of the Hi-Tech City on Thursday, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak has also highlighted the plan to bring the entire authority in the clean-up operation along with the complaints of the investors.
While talking to the journalists, Palak also gave a hint of appointing skilled and experienced private management for the development of every institution under ICT and Telecom to make those profitable. State Minister Palak also requested to make the country’s telecom and IT sector business-friendly by becoming service providers instead of being mere a regulator.
Contracts with 3 Companies has been cancelled and replaced by new 3
According to Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority sources, the companies whose contracts have been canceled are – Tikkon Systems Limited (tikkon), Data Soft and Metronet. Instead, Kana Soft, Ma Enterprises and Mumanu Polyester Industries have been allotted park land. The state minister said, ‘Such a decision is to ensure the best and effective use of the 370 acres of park land. Plots of some companies have been canceled and allotted to new companies.
He also said that from 2016-2023, a total investment of more than 1070 crore taka has been made in Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City. By 2025, about 15 thousand crore taka investment proposals have been received. A total of 1 thousand 114 people is working in the establishments where production activities are going on in the city. Apart from this, around 500 more manpower is involved in construction activities and other activities. Here the companies are working to produce and manufacture various types of IT products including laptops, mobile phones, fiber optic cables, cars, CCTV, ATM machines, Quonk machines, lithium-ion batteries.
Founding Stone laid down of VISTA
On Thursday at Noon, the State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak laid the foundation stone for the new factory building of VISTA Electronics at Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City on the day of cancellation and new allocation. During this he inquired about the progress of setting up the television and broadcast box factory of Vista. At that time Vista Electronics Chairman Shamsul Alam, Managing Director Lokman Hossain Akash and Director Uday Hakim were present.
Walton’s new product launched
In the afternoon of the same day, the State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT announced the launch of Walton’s NexG mobile phones and commercial SSDs and conditional 100% cashback on computer products. At that time Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited Chairman SM Rezaul Alam, Managing Director SM Manjurul Alam and Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC Director and Walton TV Monitoring Director Raisa Sigma Hima, Walton Digi-Tech Additional Managing Director Liaquat Ali, Walton High Deputy Managing Director of Tech Md.Yusuf Ali and Senior officials were present.
During the new investment visit, the State Minister Palak expressed admiration for Smart Technologies and Daffodil laptop assembling activities as Bangladeshi brands. Chairman of Daffodil Group Md. Sabur Khan and Managing Director of Smart Technologies Mohammad Zahirul Islam requested him to set up a ‘one stop service center’ for hi-tech park. Both of them expressed hope that by May they will be able to supply 10,000 laptops of their own brand to the market. At the same time, these entrepreneurs dream of exporting abroad.
What update Hyundai
On the other hand, the fiber optic cable industry is fully working in this hi-tech park to provide high-speed uninterrupted production-oriented internet services across the country. Fiber at Home Managing Director Moinul Islam Siddiqui welcomed them to their Dera with floral greetings in the morning. After that, the state minister visited Hyundai car manufacturing plant and Bangladesh Data Center Company Limited. Meanwhile, former ICT secretary and advisor of the manufacturing subsidiary company of Hyundai, Fair Group NM Ziaul Alam explain to the state minister about the progress of the plant production details.
BDCCL : “Hire and Fire” will be the only policy
In a meeting with the officials of the four-tier national data center inside the hi-tech city, the state minister said that the government had to invest heavily in the data center. This investment loan had to be taken from abroad. Then the return from this data center should come to the government. The data center company must be made profitable by covering operating expenses with data center revenue. Break-even point should be met within 7-8 years. I have a target to make various institutions profitable under the ministry by June. I am working day and night for that. Those of you who are not interested in working beyond 9 to 5 are free to leave the ICT department. If you cannot work, leave the ICT department.
Palak also said that the data analytical center will not be given to BDCCL. Our plan was to do it here. I am happy with your performance, but not completely satisfied. Full time MD, DMD should be appointed here. The rest of the recruitment will be closed because the head will not be heavy. Those who are corrupt, wicked, negligent of duty will not be kept. It’s not the government, it’s the company. “Hire and Fire” will be the only policy.
Meanwhile, ICT Secretary Shamsul Arefin said that this hi-tech park needs a train. Investors can buy a train. Only railway lines will be rented from railways. A compromise agreement may be reached with the Railways in this regard. But the train will be owned by the investors. They will run trains according to their needs in coordination with the railways.
In the meeting presided over by BDCCL Managing Director Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, cloud expert Mohammad Mahdi Uz Zaman highlighted the future plans and possibilities of the data center.
One Stop service Center for BHTC
At Solarish Bhavan Auditorium, in an exchange meeting with investors, the State Minister Palak said that arrangements will be made so that investors do not have to go from door to door outside the Hi-Tech Park Authority in need of a license. If necessary, the hi-tech authority structure will be broken and appointment will be made from outside. He also told the meeting that a plan is being taken to provide one-stop services to investors in the hi-tech city. He expressed hope that the issues would be resolved by the beginning of the next financial year and investors would come under one-stop service.
The State Minister said that Hi-Tech Park will be developed as a smart service provider. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed to save time and money in the next five years to ensure more services to the people; return on investment and verify the rationality of the project. I will find out where and why the problem are happening. I will do it as a representative of investors in NBR, Bangladesh Bank and so on.
ICT Department Secretary Shamshul Arefin and Hi-Tech Park Authority Managing Director GSM Zafar Ullah were present in the meeting.
According to the Hi-Tech Park Authority, land allocation has been completed in the name of 82 companies. By 2025, there is an investment potential of 15 thousand crore taka. Export of IT products from this park has already been started. Bangabandhu Hi-Tech Park will provide employment to 40,000 to 50,000 people within a year if all business activities are fully operational.
According to the information given by the hi-tech park authorities, Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City is the country’s first and largest hi-tech park built on 370 acres of land in Kaliakoir. Allotment of 112 acres allottable for industrial area out of 239 acres under direct supervision of Hi-Tech Park has been completed. Other land includes lakes, roads, forestry, ponds, administrative areas, service areas, hotels, shopping malls, hospitals, schools, playgrounds, dormitory buildings, residential areas, sewage treatment, e-waste management plants, recreation areas, electrical grid substations, etc. Social amenities are reserved for and used. Allotment of 47 acres (84 acres pending allotment) out of 131 acres under Park Developer has been completed. Out of 82 domestic and foreign investment institutions that have been allocated land, 22 have already started official, operational, production and business activities by building infrastructure.
Apart from this, 18 companies are in progress of infrastructure construction and 42 companies are doing various types of work to start infrastructure construction activities. The government is getting 60 to 70 lakh taka per month from this park for rent (i.e., land and space).