Minister of State for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak has declared BD Apps, an app market of mobile operator Robi as the National App Store to make Bangladesh a mobile gaming hub in the world.
He made the announcement at a contract ceremony with BD Apps at The Ice Tower in Agargaon in the capital on Thursday (4 March 2021).
He said, Robi has developed BDApps. But when the agreement is being signed with the ICT department, we have also renamed it the National App. As a result, it is not only for Robi or our Innovoson Entorprenor Academy, or Start-up Bangladesh or Mobile apps development projects. Grameenphone startups can also host this app store. Banglalink’s accelerator program app developers can also use.
The minister added that Robi not only lit up his own strength but also inspired the youth of the whole of Bangladesh to enlighten.
Justifying the ICT department’s agreement with BDApps on the eve of the speech, the Minister of State for ICT said that if we can enable the youth of the country in app development, the billion-dollar market is waiting for us to catch.
The Minister of State for ICT urged the Robi authorities to create an opportunity to register on the Suraksha App through Robi App like bKash.
The event was presided over by Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, Additional Secretary, ICT Department while Hosne Ara Begum, Managing Director, Hi-Tech Park Authority, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Managing Director, Robi Axiata Limited, Robi CCO Shihab Ahmed, and Anwarul Islam, Director, Mobile Gaming and App Project, ICT Department were also present at the stage.
Head of regulatory affairs of Robi Axiata Shahed Alam hosted this agreement ceremony.
ICT Division’s additional secretary Dr Bikarna Kumar Ghosh and Robi’s Managing Director and CEO, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed signed on the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. This arrangement is for five years with the option of extension.
Addressing the event, Robi’s Managing Director and CEO, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed said, “Working with the ICT division will boost up our dream to build a self-sustaining app industry for our young generation. This agreement will allow bdapps as the ICT Division’s endorsed hub for application developers and get access to ICT Division’s institutes, high-tech park, Digital Lab’s, and other resources to develop the youth people’s skill-set and thus to have a strong contribution in developing the Digital Bangladesh.”
He also said, to promote app development bdapps is bringing first of its kind wizard-based Android app development solution for Bangladeshi developers to create a massive impact on all Android mobile phone users. We are also delighted to announce that, bdapps is launching a Seed Funding program for it’s developers to facilitate their initial marketing investments. We would request to our government allow tax waivers for these amateurs, young and qualified developers to accelerate these to a start-up and to create a nationwide wave for an innovation-centric economy.
Under the agreement, ICT will collaborate with bdapps to organize exclusive boot camps and events in government universities all across the country. The events will also enable bdapps to accelerate potential digital entrepreneurs’ and freelancers’ onboarding process through all the ICT Division’s labs in the country. ICT Division will also try to enable all Bangladeshi mobile users from all operators to enjoy these applications and bdapps will facilitate this vision through it’s state-of-the-art technology.