DHAKA: Hardware is the key concern in the preliminary stage of the ICT industry to develop. Still its contribution comes first considering the growth of the industry.
Considering the size and contribution of the industry and finding out the way to meet the challenges and growth, BCS organized a seminar on ‘Hardware Business: Challenges and Way Forward’ at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre (BICC) in city on June 16 during ICT Expo-2015.
BCS president Abu Hanif Mhammad Mahfuzul Arif conducted the seminar, attended by National Board of Revenue chairman Mojibur Rahman, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayor Anisul Haque, ICT division secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder and Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) executive director SM Ashraful Islam as guests of honor.
Moreover, Oshim of Western Digital, BCS first president SM Kamal, BCS former presidents Faizullah Khan and Mostofa Zabbar also joined the discussion along with the other executives and entrepreneurs of the industry.
Importance of hardware for digital Bangladesh, its availability, challenges to grow, among other issues, were discussed at the seminar.
The discussant focused on the way out in meeting the existing challenges of the hardware industry. The panelists also talked about the data storage, security and management that are the most important challenges for today.
According to them, a total of 90% of IT contributors are from younger generation and they are innovative and self-motivated. They do not want much but little appreciation, support and encouragement.
‘They are the future to transform the country from hardware consumer to manufacture. Issued VAT and tax need to be considered to strengthen this youth movements,’ said an entrepreneur Sayed Talash Bukhar.
According to him, internet penetration rate in Bangladesh is 7.8% whereas it is 3.4% in India. So here is the potentiality that needs to be address.
‘BCS and ICT Division should come forward with some proposals and guidelines to formulate the ICT policy,’ National Board of Revenue chairman Mojibur Rahman said, ‘we will try our level best to ensure the connectivity and others issues that will help flourish country’s hardware industry’.
‘We will declare ICT as an industry to contribute the GDP and we are very willing to do anything that is needed for its development,’ said ICT division secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder.
BDST: 1845 HRS, JUN 16, 2015
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