Better sense of tech key to future workplace readiness

Government and business leaders should invest in a data culture where employees aspire to learn to stay relevant and they should consider incorporating data intelligence into their operations, Md Yousup Faruqu, managing director at Microsoft Bangladesh, told The Business Post’s Rifat Islam in an interview.

The Business Post: How promising is the market for tech business in Bangladesh, and why?

Md Yousup Faruqu: Bangladesh is now focused on the digital economy because of growing digitisation. The process fosters service industry innovation and domestic employment creation, allowing for faster economic growth.

Many large firms in developed countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia resort to IT outsourcing from Bangladesh to save costs and risks. As a result, the ICT sector in Bangladesh is poised for expansion, with Dhaka emerging as a freelance IT and IT-enabled services outsourcing centre.

TBP: What is your suggestion for the government and businesses to have a strong stance in 4IR?

Yousup: Government and business leaders should invest in a data culture where employees aspire to learn to stay relevant. They should also consider incorporating data intelligence into their operations by using current data sets or experimenting with data collection for analysis.

Nurses in a government hospital, for example, can be more efficient if they have mobile access to patient data. Farms can use sensors to anticipate weather conditions better and even maximise livestock breeding results in agriculture.

Bangladesh should also encourage technology or STEM [science, technology, engineering, mathematics] education to be a fundamental part of the school curriculum.

For instance, learning how to code and other digital skills develop fundamentals such as computational thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. With a better sense of how technology works, citizens will be ready for the future workplace.

TBP: How can Bangladeshi freelancers ace the high valued marketplaces?

Yousup: I believe freelancers in Bangladesh have the potential to create entirely new ways of providing high-value goods and services.

Our cloud innovations and free resources for learning, such as Microsoft Learn, can help them stay competitive with digital skills and certifications that are globally recognised.

Coders and developers are the innovators and creators who will disrupt industries and transform the world, and I cannot wait to see Bangladesh on the map of digital innovators!

TBP: The Government’s commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has positioned ICT as an enabler in its developmental framework through the “Digital Bangladesh” initiative. Where can the Bangladesh government link up with Microsoft in this journey?

Yousup: The rapid adoption of cloud, data analytics, social media, and mobility are increasing the pace of change and driving demand for innovation in government services.

These technology megatrends and the proliferation of data are resetting how governments operate, from making decisions and creating policy based on data analytics to fulfilling citizens and businesses’ expectations through multiple delivery channels.

At some level, every industry is undergoing sustainable digital transformation.

From digital supply chains that improve business processes and reduce carbon footprints to IoT [internet of things] sensors streaming real-time telemetry for predictive analytics, there is no shortage of examples of technology enabling ambitious sustainability outcomes.

And this is further transformed by start-ups and digital natives who use artificial intelligence and data to create solutions that are disrupting industries.

It is our role as leaders to work together as a coalition to bring in our strengths, assets, and resources to build a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable region for everyone.

TBP: Do you have any plans to build a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh?

Yousup: Our commitment remains a key enabler in transforming businesses of all sizes and the Government of Bangladesh’s digital business transformational journey.

TBP: How is Microsoft managing data and AI responsibly, supporting Bangladesh’s security, privacy, and governance?

Yousup: Microsoft is working to make AI accessible to every individual and organisation.

We do this by using a thoughtful, human-centered approach when designing AI innovations that extend and empower people’s capabilities in all aspects of life.

In every country where we do business, our approach is governed by our AI principles and the existing processes for determining how we engage in a particular nation.

TBP: How would Microsoft’s mission align with working closely with Bangladesh’s customers and partners to accelerate their digital transformation journey?

Yousup: With the world becoming a computer, I see the value of Microsoft’s extensive partner network and global best practices as learning opportunities to help every business in Bangladesh embrace cloud, digital transformation, and the modern workplace.

We are focused on our customers’ success and are never in competition with them.

To do this effectively, we must empower government organisations and corporations to reset their ways of working as they navigate through the ongoing pandemic, respond to the increased citizen demands of today, and embrace emerging technologies to transform their tomorrow.

Our partners are responsible for more than 95 per cent of Microsoft’s commercial revenue, either directly or in collaboration with the company.

The total number of global tech jobs is expected to increase nearly five-fold from 41 million in 2020 to 190 million by 2023 as cloud adoption continues to rise.

TBP: Microsoft software, for example, Windows, is being used extensively in Bangladesh. Many use the unlicensed version of these products citing unaffordability as the reason. In the context of our country, will you take any steps to make it more affordable?

Yousup: Software piracy is an industry-wide challenge, and we are committed to working with our industry partners to promote the benefits of choosing genuine platforms and protecting intellectual property rights.

We recommend that customers choose genuine platforms to ensure compatibility with security updates and avoid dangerous viruses, spyware, and other malware sometimes contained in non-genuine software.

The latest version of our computer operating system, Windows 11, will also be a free upgrade for Windows 10 users.