DHAKA: Speakers said USD 5 billion IT export target is not a major thing, rather it is necessary to survive in the global market and to explore the new markets by building up skilled manpower. 

They made the remarks on the third day of BASIS Softexpo -2017 in a seminar titled ‘Export Marketing Strategy to obtain 5 billion by 2021’. 

Kazi M. Aminul Islam, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Authority (BEA) was the chief guest. Besides, BASIS vice-president M. Rashidul Hassan and Farhana A Rahman, CEO of Office Exports Probir Sarkar, CEO of Right Brain Solution Noor Mohammad Khan, Sales Manager of Infinity Md. Rijaul Karim and Managing Director of Tiger IT Ziaul Rahman attended the program as discussant.  

Program manager of International Trade Center Martin Labbi and Managing Director of Graphic People Imtiaj Elahi presented the keynote in the seminar. 

The seminar was moderated by Secretary General of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators Of Bangladesh (AMTOB) TIM Nurul Kabir. 

In his keynote, Martin said 5 billion target is not the main thing rather it is necessary to survive in the International market and find out the right market as well as build up skilled manpower. Mentioning the success of Tiger IT of exporting 46 billion dollar Martin said that in the whole world, around 250 billion IT skilled manpower is needed in the offshore. This is the great opportunity.

Mentioning the prospects of Bangladesh in BPO, he said that Martin said that the position of Bangladesh is good but it is difficult to survive in the competition. There are 10 countries in the whole world those who are engaged in BPO. So along with prospect there is difficulty also. He also advised the freelancers to prepare quality budget explaining the position of Bangladesh in free lancing.  He also mentioned that there is lack of correct data of export and business. He also added that in International business to reach the target it needs correct data. He recommended united and collective efforts to reach the target of 5 billion by 2021 or 1 billion by 2018.  

In his keynote, Imtiaj Elahi focused on the barriers of Graphics People for achieving the success. In this field he pointed out the positive side of Bangladesh’s software industry. Similarly he also pointed out the weakness of the marketing and the dependency on the marketing in the foreign markets. He disclosed that Graphics people’s software is exported to 65 foreign countries and we get 3000 orders per year. He said that our cheap labor and the difference of time factor with Australia and America are the important factors of our foreign markets. He gave emphasis on certified manpower and on the publicity of our industry. He pointed out that the companies who are making good in exports should be identified separately and be provided with assistance for more progress. 

CEO of Office Extracts Probir Sarkar put emphasis on felt the necessity of a legal frame work to achieve skilled manpower for survival in world market competition. He also talked IPR. It is better to be attentive for skilled manpower than cheap labor. In that case he said that matter of money transaction should be considered.   

In the discussion, Noor Mohammad Khan mentioned the positive stance of Bangladesh to generate skilled man power in response to the demand of the world market. He said simply pertaining primary training is not enough on controlling world market so our workers needs middle term training. In this case it is costlier for the organization concerned because of the leaving the institution after training. He expected the help of the government in this case. Side by side he gave emphasis on online training like foreign countries. 

Shahed Hossain CEO

Shahed Hossain said that for educated and skilled manpower we should be attentive on primary training. More over we should be cautious about brain drain in the foreign countries. To work in the world market we need to B2B that we help us. He said that we should think about big works not small one.  

Group CEO Luganda
Luganda said that he felt the necessity of expansion of local markets than foreign markets. He also gave emphasis on creating new markets than intruding in the competitive markets. He gave the example of Uganda where we put importance on the price of software. For example, he said that whenever we go for making a new web site we consider its price at the time out sourcing. It is very natural in a country like Uganda. He advised Bangladesh for creating new markets.
  
Non resident Bangladeshi Kazi Zaman said that we are interested to invest in our country and want to work jointly. For this purpose he said that Bangladeshi representatives are needed in the foreign markets to sell our products along with publicity. He gave emphasis on skilled manpower and quality products.  

With 22 years experience in IT sector Ahmedul Islam Babu said about the prospects of Bangladeshi market in Japan. Personally it took much time to make agree for investment in Bangladesh by my Japanese partner. We started our business in 2015 where now the number of workers is 60 and at the end of year it will reach 140. This number speaks about the prospect of our product in Japan. 

There are opportunities to work in Europe, Japan and America and in this case we should utilize the role of our ambassadors working abroad. Similarly we should try for local markets along side foreign markets.  

Abdul Bari said that we should not depend on some selected markets and a single product. We should be attentive in exporting other products along with software. If we can make our products then the markets will develop and we should encourage innovation. Bangladesh government is conscious about this. For making new entrepreneurs the government has created seed fund, venture capital in making eco-system which will play a positive role, he thinks. He said that our youths are meritorious who only needs encouragement. The government is now giving highest priority on IT sector.   

Abdur Rouf said that Ephibi is always positive in the development work of the country. In export business the problem should be identified and solved that will bring positive result.  

Special guest Ziaul Haque of Tiger IT said that the growth of software export is only 20 percent which is not sufficient for reaching the target of 5 billion. We are to proceed in an organized way. If we want to improve our export then we are to be attentive on the local markets. Narrating the experiences of Tiger IT in making voter ID cards with the government he said that was our mile stone. As the government put confidence on us so we were successful. Accordingly the local organizations must earn confidence. Market research and making skilled man power shoul get priority which will help making branding goods. If we work in this speed then the target of 5 billion is not impossible. 
So policy formulation, joint planning can play an important role which will help to reach the target.  

Farhana Rahman said our today’s discussion was to reach the target of 5 billion and what should be our strategy. Meanwhile there were many discussions on policy matters. Now I will focus on only three points. 

Firstly: we should identify our own skill.  In International market the skill of our institutions and also the skill of individual professionals should be identified. Like BPO of the Philippines we should be attentive towards other sectors. It is better to fix the volume of prospective markets. 

Secondly, we are lagging behind much in market research which is very much important.  We should give attention on it.   

Thirdly, we should be aware about the publicity of our products in the International markets along with marketing agents. In this case the local companies alone cannot do it rather if jointly the private companies take initiatives then it would help to achieve the target of 5 billion. 
   
In his speech, the chief guest M. Aminul Islam said that Prime Minister is a very courageous leader to dream big things. To achieve the target of 5 billion was dreamt by her that has inspired us to go forward. The dream was being translated into reality by BASIS along with other organizations. Though it was dreamt by our PM but it our responsibility to make this dream successful. Some of these translators are service providers, some associates and some are users. To make this sector viable the government meanwhile has taken many steps. 

To achieve the target of 5 billion is huge. So we must give attention on every matter. In Bangladesh the major export earner is garment sector and the next sector will be ICT which can able to play an important role. The work on making country middle income is going on though it is tough. As for example in contrast to many countries our internal income rate is higher. 
So achieve the target of 5 billion the industrial units should come forward with right planning. So the ICT division is very active to extend helps and provide all assistances. But there is need of some change and modifications are necessary.   

Suggestions:

•    Country’s IT institutions should work for quality
•    Skilled manpower needed to export software in world market
•    Government and private companies should work jointly to generate skilled manpower 
•    Legal framework needed to build skilled manpower for taking the local and foreign markets 
•    Better to explore new markets rather than to enter the competitive markets
•    To identify the market experience of local and International markets.
•    Government should come forward in midterm and higher training. 
•    To explore new markets, both private and government initiatives required
•    To arrange wide publicity for marketing in global markets. 
•    In the publicity both government and private companies should take joint efforts.  
•    Need to pay attention on market research in a comprehensive way.
•    The industrial units should come forward with right work plan.   

BDST: 1710 HRS, MAR 12, 2017
SJN/SMS