TCAB calls for more IT sector allocation in upcoming budget

The Tele Consumers Association of Bangladesh (TCAB) has called for an increase in the budget allocation for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the fiscal year 2022-23.

TCAB urged putting special emphasis on the IT sector in the upcoming budget in a press release received on Monday. 

“It was proposed to allocate Tk 1,721 crore for FY 2021-22 budget for the development of IT sector in the country, which was 66 per cent more than the revised budget FY 2020-21,” TCAB Convenor Murshidul Haque said, adding that earlier, Tk 1,415 crore was allocated in the budget for the fiscal year 2020-21, which was 18.7 per cent more than the revised budget for the fiscal year 2019-20.

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TCAB expects this continuity of increasing allocation in the IT sector in the upcoming budget for FY 2022-2023 too, the press release added.

“A comprehensive action plan is required for the effective implementation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is time to give special importance to the IT sector in the budget for the sake of future generations,” Murshidul Haque added.

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In the press release, TCAB made six proposals for consideration in the forthcoming budget:

• Reducing costs of voice calls, SMS and internet data usage;
• Reducing the scarcity of teachers and devices for students, promoting e-learning and e-books, and launching new projects for vocational training for youth;
• Creating an inducing environment for 5G technology in the country to reap the full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution;
• Continuing tax exemption to encourage the manufacture of local tech products, providing special incentives to global brands for attracting them to manufacture products in the country, and completing the construction of high-tech parks post-haste;
• Putting special emphasis on freelancing by arranging training for IT freelancers, identifying and solving their problems, and introducing the global transaction system PayPal for supporting freelancers;
• Amending the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 and making the National Consumer Rights Protection Department more people-friendly and strong for the sake of e-commerce and online business consumers.