State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak recently said it is impossible to increase economic growth without the use of technology and so the government has taken initiatives to teach information technology including coding in schools to create skilled human resources.
He was speaking at a program held at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) auditorium of ICT Tower in city’s Agargaon area through Zoom online platform as the chief guest, said a press release.
The programme was held to give certificates to 12 teams from Bangladesh in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the Hong Kong International Blockchain Olympiad Competition-2020 for the first time, it added.
Palak said 300 schools of the future are being set up in the country to get ideas about frontier technologies like blockchain, internet of things, robotics so that in the future they may develop into skilled people suitable for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He said the government is encouraging students and young people to create innovative solutions based on blockchain technology so that it can be used in agriculture, education, health and other sectors to provide affordable services.
The state minister said 28 high-tech or IT parks are being set up across the country to increase investment in the IT sector and create skilled human resources.
In the already built Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park in Jessore, a total of 48 companies including some foreign companies are conducting business activities, he added.
He said in less than three years, more than 1.5 thousand people have been employed in this park.
Executive Director of BCC Parthapratim Deb presided over the function.
ICT Division Senior Secretary NM Ziaul Alam, Blockchain Olympiad Bangladesh (BCOLBD) convener and former Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) professor Mohammad Kaikobad, Leveraging ICT for Employment (LICT) Project Director Md Rezaul Karim and Noted Professor Zafar Iqbal also spoke on the occasion, among others.
Later, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between BCC and Blockchain Olympiad Bangladesh on the occasion of hosting the International Blockchain Olympiad in Dhaka in 2021.