View source for Information technology in Bangladesh

{{EngvarB|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
The [[information technology]] sector in [[Bangladesh]] had its beginnings in [[nuclear research]] during the 1960s. Over the next few decades, computer use increased at large Bangladeshi organizations, mostly with [[IBM mainframe]] computers. However, the sector only started to get substantial attention during the 1990s. Today the sector is still in a nascent stage, though it is showing potential for advancement.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=127229 |title=Bangladesh to emerge as software exporter in global market |work=The Daily Star |agency=BSS |date=21 February 2010 |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=30875cf3491d376f2b9815c231b3e1a5&nttl=28061&toppos=4 |title='Bangladesh next hub in IT sector after China, India': Ed Franklin |work=Banglanews24.com |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=20 July 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130720161722/http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=30875cf3491d376f2b9815c231b3e1a5&nttl=28061&toppos=4 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nonetheless, Bangladesh IT/ITES industry has fared comparatively well by achieving US$1.3 billion export earnings in FY 2020-21 and holding US$1.4 billion equivalent market share in the local market contributing 0.76 per cent to the GDP creating more than 1 million employment opportunities so far amid [[Covid-19]] havoc that suddenly shattered businesses last year.<ref name="Latifee, Enamul Hafiz, 2021">{{cite news |last1=Latifee |first1=Enamul Hafiz |title=IT sector at post-LDC time: Forging industry-academia partnership |url=https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=331006 |access-date=15 September 2021 |work=The Daily Observer |issue=Vol.: 10, Issue No.: 247 |date=14 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="Enamul Hafiz Latifee, 2021, Khaleej Times" /> Consequentially, riding on the successes of IT/ITES sector-supported export-led industries as well as pro-private sector and conducive policies pursued by Bangladesh Government, the country is now poised to become a Developing Country by 2026, as recommended by the United Nations [[Committee for Development Policy]] (UNCDP), besides, Bangladesh now seeks to transform itself into a knowledge-based and 4IR-driven cashless economy, aiming to become a developed country by 2041.<ref name="Enamul Hafiz Latifee, 2021, Khaleej Times">{{cite news |last1=Latifee |first1=Enamul Hafiz |title=Next Export Front-Runner |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/supplements/next-export-front-runner |access-date=25 December 2021 |work=Khaleej Times |date=16 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The Bangladesh government has formulated a  draft  'Made in Bangladesh–  ICT Industry Strategy'  aimed at turning Bangladesh into an ICT manufacturing hub, enhancing export of local products, attracting foreign investment and creating employment proposing to implement in three 

Notif-info

terms— short term from 2021 to 2023, mid-term from 2021 to 2028 and long term from 2021 to 2031 for implementation of the 65 action plans.<ref name="Latifee, E. H., et. al., 2021. BASIS Foreign Exchange Manual 2021">{{cite book |last1=Latifee |first1=Enamul Hafiz |last2=Khandaker |first2=Md. Motassir |last3=Islam |first3=Majhar |last4=Mahareen |first4=Julfa |title=BASIS Foreign Exchange Manual 2021 |date=31 December 2021 |publisher=Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) |page=13 |edition=1st |url=https://basis.org.bd/public/files/publication/60cab48d1e235d2d0b3d48b8d1b2a496-01012022012405.pdf |access-date=3 January 2022}}</ref>

== History ==
The first computer in [[East Pakistan]] was an [[IBM mainframe]] [[IBM 1622|1620 series]], installed in 1964 at the [[Dhaka]] center of the [[Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission]] (later the [[Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission]]). Computer use increased in the following years, especially after the [[Bangladesh liberation war|independence of Bangladesh]] in 1971; more-advanced IT equipment began to be set up in different educational, research and financial institutions.<ref name="Computer" /> In 1979, a computer centre, later renamed Department of Computer Science & Engineering, was established at [[Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology]] (BUET); the centre has been playing a pivotal role in Bangladeshi IT education since its inception. Through the introduction of [[personal computer]]s, the use of computers witnessed a rapid increase in the late 1980s.<ref name="Computer">{{cite book |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Masud Hasan |last2=Murshed |first2=Md Mahbub |year=2012 |chapter=Computer |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Computer |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> In 1985, succeeding several individual initiatives, the first [[Bengali input methods|Bengali script in computers]] was invented, paving the way for more intense computer activities.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ahamed |first=Syeed |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=136160 |title=An amazing journey from Shahid Lipi to Avro |newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |location=Dhaka |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Shakil |first=Abdus |year=2012 |chapter=Bangla Software |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Bangla_Software |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> In 1995, use of the [[Internet]] began and locally made [[software]] started to be exported.<ref name="Computer" />

In 1983, the [[Ministry of Science and Technology (Bangladesh)|Ministry of Science and Technology]] established a National Computer Committee to create the required policies. The committee was also responsible to carry out programs to expand and promote the efficacious use of the sector. In 1988, the committee was replaced by the National Computer Board. In 1990, the ministry reformed the board and reconstituted it as the [[Bangladesh Computer Council]] to monitor computer- and IT-related works in the country.<ref>{{cite book |last=Alam |first=Mahbubul |year=2012 |chapter=Bangladesh Computer Council |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Bangladesh_Computer_Council |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

== ICT industry ==
The ICT industry is a relatively new sector in the country's economy. Though it is yet to make tangible contributions in the national economy, it is an important growth industry. The [[Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services]] (BASIS) was established in 1997 as the national trade body for software and IT service industry. Starting with only 17 member companies, by 2009 membership had grown to 326. In a study among Asian countries by [[Japan International Cooperation Agency]] in 2007–08, Bangladesh was ranked first in software and IT services competitiveness and third in competencies, after India and China.<ref name="Karim" /> The [[World Bank]], in a study conducted in 2008, projected triple digit growth for Bangladesh in IT services and software exports.<ref name="Karim">{{cite news |last=Karim |first=Habibullah N |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=120615 |title=Bangladesh IT industry going global |newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |date=6 January 2010 |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref> Bangladesh was also listed as one of the top 30 Countries for Offshore Services in 2010–2011 by ''[[Gartner]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1500514 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124042948/http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1500514 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 January 2013 |title=Gartner Identifies Top 30 Countries for Offshore Services in 2010–2011 |website=[[Gartner]] |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref> The [[Broadband universal service|Internet penetration]] has also grown to 21.27 percent in 2012, up from 3.2 percent three years prior.<ref name="bss" />

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector of the country has maintained 57.21 percent export growth on an average over the last nine years since 2009.<ref name="Latifee, & Hossain, 2018" /> In the fiscal year (FY) 2016–17, Bangladesh ICT sector registered export earnings worth US$0.8 billion from the global market and US$1.54 billion from the domestic market span – thereby making around one percent contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).<ref name="Latifee, & Hossain, 2018">{{cite news |last=Latifee, & Hossain |first=Enamul Hafiz, Md. Sajib |url=https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/views/ict-industry-thriving-needs-reform-1521044586 |title=ICT industry thriving, needs reform |newspaper=[[The Financial Express (Bangladesh)|The Financial Express]] |date=14 March 2018 |access-date=21 September 2018}}</ref> The ICT sector has created around three hundred thousand job opportunities so far.<ref name="Latifee, & Hossain, 2018" /> ICT exports of the country are also projected to reach US$5 billion by 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bari |first1=Md. Kamrul |last2=Latifee |first2=Enamul Hafiz |title=4IR technologies and Bangladesh's preparedness |url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/4ir-technologies-and-bangladeshs-preparedness-1641391833 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=Financial Express (Bangladesh) |publisher=International Publications Limited |date=11 January 2022}}</ref>

As the Internet usage increases, the government expects the IT sector to add 7.28 percent to GDP growth by 2021.<ref name="bss">{{cite news |url=http://www1.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=256313$date=2012-06-12&dateCurrent=2012-06-13 |title=Information technology to contribute 7.28 percent to GDP by 2021 |work=[[Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha]] |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193331/http://www1.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=256313$date=2012-06-12&dateCurrent=2012-06-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Asia topic|Information technology in}}

[[Category:Information technology in Bangladesh| ]]