5G to pave way for fourth industrial revolution, says minister

5G, the fifth-generation latest cellular technology, will be the highway to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Bangladesh is on the right track to introduce it, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said on Friday.

Jabbar made the remark while addressing a webinar titled “Preparing Bangladesh for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Digital Transformation in Innovation and Research” organised by World University of Bangladesh (WUB).

“5G connectivity will be the digital highway of 4IR. Fourth Industrial Revolution will take place based in the 5G technology. Hopefully, we will be able to launch 5G technology by 2021,” said Mosrafa Jabbar.

“We have started working to introduce 5G technology in five economic zones in a bid to attract foreign direct investment considering the demands of the business people,” he added.

Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon, Legal Secretary of Bangladesh Awami Juba League, addressed the webinar presided over by the Vice-Chancellor of the World University, Prof. Dr. Abdul Mannan Choudhury.

Mentioning that through innovation, China is emerging as a significant economic power in the world, Jabbar said that Bangladesh must also focus on innovation to meet the challenges of the future.

“65 percent of the country’s young population need to be developed as human resources through digital transformation of education. To this end, the work of creating human resources has to start from primary schools,” he said. He mentioned that starting digital education from universities is a difficult task.

Jabbar mentioned that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driverless cars or automated factories are a blessing for the world. The technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will fill human resource deficit in the future.

“Therefore, it is good news for the world, but it is not good news for us at all. We cannot be their partners in the journey to Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our path is different than theirs,” he added.

“In the past, Bangladesh could not participate in three industrial revolutions. Even in 1972, 98 per cent of our GDP was dependent on agriculture. The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman implemented various groundbreaking programmes to take the country forward in just three and a half years,” Jabbar said.

“He started the domestic industrialization by reopening the industries left by the Pakistanis through sector corporations. T&T sowed the seeds of digital communication technology by establishing boards, satellite ground stations, membership of ITO and UPU,” he added.

The minister noted that under the dynamic and far-sighted wise leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh today has qualified as a leading country going forward with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Vice-Chancellor of the World University, Prof. Dr. Abdul Mannan Choudhury mentioned the contribution of the digitalisation of the government to the GDP growth of Bangladesh.