1m smart job target in 5 years to meet 4IR

Bangladesh has taken a bold step towards becoming a major player in the global information technology sector. The government recently unveiled a comprehensive plan to empower the nation for the challenges and opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said on Thursday that this ambitious roadmap sets a target of creating at least 1 million skilled IT jobs and attracting a staggering $1 billion in foreign investment within the next five years. With this aim, steps will be taken to enhance capabilities in frontier technologies across all sectors of the economy by 2031.

This includes establishing research centres focused on frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, robotics, semiconductors, electric vehicles, space, and geospatial technologies.

Mahmood Ali made such a remark in a budget speech in the parliament about the preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

He said that Bangladesh's journey towards a digital future has already seen significant progress over the past 15 years. The ICT sector has become a major job creator, employing a workforce of 2 million young people. Building on this momentum, the government aims to propel the industry's export value to $5 billion in the next five years, with a long-term vision of reaching $50 billion by 2041.

“Special initiatives will be undertaken to encourage innovation and research across the country, including at the grassroots level, by enhancing the capabilities of stakeholders in the ICT sector and setting benchmarks for becoming smart in every sector,” he said.

The minister said in a budget speech that efforts are underway to ensure uninterrupted high-speed internet and transmission networks nationwide. To support the implementation of “5G”, the optical fibre network of BTCL is being upgraded and expanded through the Optical Fiber Network Development Project.

With a view to fulfilling the growing demand for bandwidth in the country, projects for installing the fourth submarine cable by 2028 and the fifth submarine cable by 2033 are being undertaken.

“The expansion of the underground optical fibre cable network, which serves as the backbone for the country's telecommunication and information technology services, has reached 39,200 kilometres and continues to grow,” he said.

In the budget speech, the minister remarked that 8,500 rural post offices have been transformed into digital postal centres. To create smart post offices, modern facilities have been established at 14 locations, and 14 mail processing centres have been established. These centres will play a crucial role in expanding e-commerce in rural areas.