ICTD got an additional 14 crore 26 lakh 60 thousand taka in the budget
Parliament has granted an additional 14 crore 26 lakh 60 thousand taka to the President in the information and communication technology sector. This bill was passed by a voice vote after rejecting the retrenchment proposal of 3 parliamentarians in view of the proposal of the State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak in the National Parliament session on Monday.
Opposition Chief Whip Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Member of Parliament for Barisal-4 Constituency Pankaj Deb Nath and Member of Parliament for Kurigram-2 Hamidul Haque Khandkar proposed the scrapping of this bill in the afternoon in the National Parliament session.
However, refuting the arguments against their proposal, Zunaid Ahmed Palak told the parliament that through the Learning and Earning project, 43,000 young people have been made skilled IT freelancers. As a result, 7 lakh freelancers in Bangladesh have earned over 1 billion foreign exchanges as remittance fighters. It has also provided affordable high speed internet services to 13 crore people. Internet has been delivered to villages. The price has been reduced to Rs 60 per Mbps. In this continuous success, 10 thousand 500 women entrepreneurs have been created under the Shi-Power project. In view of that, an additional allocation of Tk 142.26 lakh 60 thousand has been requested today so that 25 thousand women entrepreneurs can do smart employment as IT freelancers, call center agents from their homes. This plan is to increase employment.
This additional amount has been allocated for the current financial year. However, after presenting the allocation proposal, Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said that four parliamentarians proposed to cut it. However, Hafiz Uddin, Member of Parliament of Thankurgaon 3, was absent among the parliamentarians who did not agree. The remaining three members said that asking to reduce 500 taka in the retrenchment proposal is a symbolic protest.
Barisal-4 Member of Parliament Pankaj Debnath said in the parliament that, the people of Mehendiganj and Hijla did not go to Info Sarkar-2,3. Broadband, wireless internet connection did not go there. They are working, but if Doyel's box is opened and Chinese computers are found - is it waste or corruption and the Parliament wants to know what action has been taken on it.
Against the proposal, the chief whip of the opposition party, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, said that many people are not able to absorb the learning. I have noticed that there is a lot of waste going on here. After providing computer lab in many schools, it is not running in many places due to lack of follow-up. The software park set up in Jashore in the name of the Prime Minister but has lost its way within 5 years of its establishment. On January 26, Techcity, the company in charge of the park, built a three-star hotel and resort for commercial purposes. Techcity is converting ICT Park dormitories into hotels and resorts in partnership with Khan Properties to recoup their losses. It has been alleged that this move will spoil the business environment. will discourage investment.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that the Sheikh Russell Digital Computer Lab has been set up on the recommendation and request of the parliamentarians. After college and school classes there, I am training women entrepreneurs under the Her Pawar project. I have given short term training to 36 thousand teachers. Later in the evening we encourage local entrepreneurs to use that infrastructure to train local youth. So, I request them to take part in this work and take care.
Regarding the complaint raised about Jashore Sheikh Hasina Software Park, the State Minister said that this park has 4 components. We have hired a third party as a property management company to keep the park running and not incurring losses. That is why parliamentarians should be appreciated for such a smart approach. That is why Jashore did not have to invest a single penny in 5 years. Instead, I am getting 18 percent dividend from the income. 1200 youths have been employed there. Foreign investment has come. And if any client from Dhaka or abroad goes there, 80 rooms were made in the dormitory. But after two years it was found that these rooms are often not used. Therefore, the guests of the local entrepreneurs are allowed to stay there in order to make fair use of the resources. They get a subsidized price. Outside guests are allowed to rent out any remaining rooms if they are vacant. Through which resources have been used fairly here.
