Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed the optimism that the ICT sector will be the biggest contributor to the country's foreign currency earning in near future, reports UNB.

"I think this (ICT) will be our biggest contributor to the export basket, we want to give training to our children towards that end," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while formally inaugurating the newly-built 'Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park' in Jessore through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital.

The Software Technology Park is expected to generate jobs for around 12,000 youths.

Sheikh Hasina said ICT products will also be there in the list of Bangladesh's export items which will be exported across the globe. "We've already decided to set up one hi-tech park in each district...this will generate huge jobs."

After assuming office in 2009, Hasina said her government has taken numerous steps to turn the country into 'Digital Bangladesh'. "One of those steps is the High Tech Park in Jessore, another is in Kaliakoir which will be ready very soon."

She said the government wants to spread development works to rural areas for balanced development. "We want to develop different areas and make those prominent for specific items."

Terming the inauguration of the High Tech Park as a great achievement of the country, she said the first step towards making Bangladesh a modern technology- based country has been done.

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak also spoke at the programme.

After the inaugural programme, the PM talked to different people in Jessore through the videoconference.

In the main building of the Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park, allotments have been made against 55 companies, including two of Japan.

The IT Park has been set up in Jessore targeting 10 districts under Khulna Division where IT industry entrepreneurs from both home and abroad will get chances to make investments.  Earlier, Sheikh Hasina announced to build a world-class IT Park in Jessore while inaugurating Jessore Science and Technology University on December 27, 2010. Following that announcement, the construction on the IT Park began on February 2013 at Bejpara in Shankarpur area of the town involving Tk 305 crore.  

The park will have a total of around 2.32 lakh square feet of space with all the modern facilities, including a 15-storey MTB building,

12-storey three-star dormitory building, state-of-the art convention centre and an underground parking

lot.  Each of the floors has some 14,000 square feet of space.  

Besides, the IT Park would have a 33 KVA power sub-station, fiber optic internet line and other utility services.

EA