Karachi, 12 December 2022:

Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi celebrated the “Digital Bangladesh Day-2022” on 12 December 2022 at the Chancery. The program started with the recitation from the Holy Qur’an. A special prayer was offered for the continuous peace, progress and prosperity of Bangladesh. Two documentary films on “Digital Bangladesh” were screened at the program.

A discussion meeting anchored by Mr. Muhammad Atiqur Rahman was held with the Deputy High Commissioner S. M. Mahbubul Alam in the Chair.  In his speech, the Deputy High Commissioner paid deep homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said that under his indomitable, mesmerizing, and charismatic leadership Bangladesh became Independent in 1971 at the supreme sacrifice of three million invaluable lives. After the Independence, under the visionary leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangladesh began its journey to be self-reliant, poverty-hunger and exploitation free, prosperous, developed and esteemed country – Bangladesh the Sonar Bangla.  

Deputy High Commissioner commented that ‘Digital Bangladesh’ initiatives and policies undertaken by the Government of Bangladesh is a success story, which has been contributing to develop the entire society and lives of whole of the population of Bangladesh in hundreds of ways and dimensions. He further mentioned that Bangladesh is the second largest country in online sources of workers and achieved the success of becoming ‘Digital Bangladesh’. Government of Bangladesh has been striving hard to build a sustainable, knowledge-based and innovative "Smart Bangladesh" by 2041. In last 13 years Bangladesh has improved a lot in the ICT sector and as for an example he added that there were only five million internet users 13 years ago which are now over 130 million. There was no ICT industry and exports in the technology sector were only $26 million, which is now $1.4 billion every year from software, hardware and service sectors.  He further highlighted that according to the World Bank, Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing economics in the world. Over the past ten years, the economy has grown at an average rate of 6.8% per year. While it is currently the 41st largest economy globally, Bangladesh is expected to reach the 25^th spot by 2035. Deputy High Commissioner commented that one of the key contributing factors to Bangladesh’s rapid growth is its nationwide drive for digitalization. Mobile subscriptions, for example, have enjoyed impressive growth rates in the country, rising from 86 million subscribers in 2016 to 178 million in 2021. He further mentioned that aaccording to one GSMA report, "mobile technologies and services generate more than 5% of GDP in Bangladesh," both directly and indirectly.

Deputy High Commissioner mentioned that Bangladesh has set up 28 (eighty) Hi-Tech Parks (HTP) / Software Technology Parks (STP) / IT Training and Incubation Centers across the country, which have been creating an investment-friendly environment and creating employment for hundreds of thousands. He further mentioned that Bangabandhu Satellite-1 is a pride of Bangladesh and Bangladesh is a proud member of elite club of space satellite. Bangabandhu Satellite-1 contributes to boosting the country’s economy by providing all citizens with a wide range of telecommunications services including internet access even in the inaccessible territorial regions. Bangabandhu Satellite-1 helps Bangladesh affirm its independence in the related service area, and allow it to offer communications and broadcasting services to entire Bangladesh and its territorial waters and to a number of neighbouring/regionals countries, including Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia. It has the secondary service areas (SSA) include South East Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as East Africa.  

Deputy High Commissioner highlighted that ‘Digital Bangladesh’ is a success story of Bangladesh and expressed his optimism that the related policies, initiatives and priorities focused on ‘Digital Bangladesh’ would significantly contribute and help Bangladesh to achieve “Vision 2041” of the Government to become a higher middle-income country by 2031 and developed country by 2041.