The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority highlighted the investment potential of Japan in the high-tech parks of the country. In the presentation, the concerned people think that in the near future, Bangladesh will not accept any country as a model; rather others will take Bangladesh as a model for the innovative initiatives of the young generation of Bangladesh.
A webinar was held on Thursday between the UN Development Investment Organization and the Hi-Tech Park Authority organized by the Japanese Embassy. In the webinar, it was informed that Bangladesh and Japan will work together in the ICT sector in the coming days, including investing in high-tech parks in Bangladesh.
Joining the webinar, recalling Bangabandhu’s visit to Japan, ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that Japan was one of the countries which recognized Bangladesh immediately after the independence. Japan has been Bangladesh’s sole development partner since independence. ICT State Minister expressed hope that Japan’s bilateral relations with Bangladesh will be strengthened in the near future.
Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority Managing Director (Additional Secretary) Dr. Khandkar Azizul Islam welcomed the delegates who joined the webinar. After the introductory session, he discussed in detail about the emerging economy of Bangladesh and the opportunities to work on the basis of partnership between the two countries in the developing ICT industry in a power point presentation. He discussed in detail about the investment opportunities in high-tech parks of Bangladesh in particular.
ICT State Minister Palak said, now is the right time to build a sustainable hi-tech manufacturing ecosystem in Bangladesh where the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority can play a leading role. A labor-intensive economy is not enough to compete with emerging economies to overcome the post-Covid-19 global recession. In the current scenario, countries that focus on developing knowledge-based and technology-based industries will be able to attract FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). Realizing this reality, the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority has been working tirelessly since the beginning to develop technology-based infrastructure.
Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority is creating digital entrepreneurs to increase the pace of private investment by building an innovation ecosystem in the country. As a result, the young generation is more interested in job creation rather than job seeking. Whereas 13 years ago the less educated youth of the country was dependent on other labor intensive industries including garments for employment. Currently they are building their career in IT industry. Besides, increasing the entry rate of startups and small and medium enterprises in the industry and creating gender inclusive digital entrepreneurship is one of the goals of the government.
In the discussion, the speakers said that the economy of Bangladesh is now very strong, so there is no opportunity to see Bangladesh in isolation in the global economy. Bangladesh government has already made unprecedented progress in various sectors including education-health-communication-ICT. As a result, Bangladesh is now at the stage of take-off. Resources are not important for the development of any country but skilled manpower, strong institutions, innovative ideas and acceleration are very necessary. In the near future, Bangladesh will not take anyone as a model; rather Bangladesh will emerge as a model for other countries.
Azizul Islam, Managing Director of Hi-Tech Park Authority; UG Ando, JETRO Bangladesh Country Director; BJIT CEO Masaki Harikawa spoke in the meeting while the meeting was presided over by the Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shahabuddin Ahmed. Also, the representatives of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Bangladesh Embassy of Japan, BJIT, and JETRO were connected in the exchange meeting.
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