🇧🇩 ICT Industry in Bangladesh (1 Viewer)

[Saif]

ICT businesses concerned over tax waiver removal

Information technology sector leaders on Sunday expressed their concerns over some provisions in the proposed budget for the 2024-25 financial year, saying that the removal of tax exemptions for cloud services and IT process outsourcing could hamper the sector’s journey toward achieving...

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ICT businesses concerned over tax waiver removal
Staff Correspondent 09 June, 2024, 22:44

Information technology sector leaders on Sunday expressed their concerns over some provisions in the proposed budget for the 2024-25 financial year, saying that the removal of tax exemptions for cloud services and IT process outsourcing could hamper the sector's journey toward achieving self-reliance.

At a post-budget joint press conference held at the BASIS auditorium in the capital Dhaka, leaders of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, Bangladesh Association of Contact Centre and Outsourcing, Internet Service Provider Association of Bangladesh and E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh sought policy support from the government to achieve self-reliance in this sector.

Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali placed the proposed budget for the 2024-25 financial year before Jatiya Sangsad in the capital Dhaka on June 6.

BASIS president Russell T Ahmed urged the government to keep cloud services and web hosting tax-free to support the growth of local ICT service companies.

He also called for the reconsideration of the imposition of a 1-per cent import duty on capital equipment for high-tech park investors, urging the government to maintain the current duty-free status.

Russell thanked prime minister Sheikh Hasina for extending the tax exemption for the ICT sector for three years.

BACCO president Wahid Sharif criticised the proposal to increase supplementary duty on mobile SIM card usage by 5 per cent.

He also expressed concern over the removal of tax exemptions from sectors like cloud services, IT process outsourcing, medical transcription, search engine optimisation, system integration and NTTN services, saying that the initiative could negatively impact the ICT industry.

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[Saif]

Procure more domestic software to boost ICT sector: expert

At least 10 percent of the internal development budgets of all ministries and their affiliated bodies should be dedicated to the procurement of software and IT-enabled services (ITES) from domestic IT companies, according to Ahsan H Mansur, executive director at the Policy Research Institute of...

www.thedailystar.net

Procure more domestic software to boost ICT sector: expert

At least 10 percent of the internal development budgets of all ministries and their affiliated bodies should be dedicated to the procurement of software and IT-enabled services (ITES) from domestic IT companies, according to Ahsan H Mansur, executive director at the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.

Limited procurement of domestic software by the government restricts the growth and international recognition of local companies, the economist said.

He said joint ventures could be formed to implement big IT projects undertaken by the government, bolstering the survival and recognition of local software companies.

Mansur made the remarks while presenting the keynote at a roundtable, titled "Importance of ICT for Economic Growth in Bangladesh", organised by the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) at its auditorium in Dhaka.

The ICT sector has emerged as the nucleus of industrial manufacturing and exporting, agricultural progression, and service sectors' uninterrupted quality delivery processes, he said.

"ICT, as a cross-cutting sector, is the cornerstone upon which the efficiency and productivity of all other sectors depend. As the nucleus of every industry, ICT enables streamlined operations, enhanced data management, and innovative solutions that drive economic growth and competitiveness."

Speaking about the challenges facing the ICT sector in Bangladesh, Mansur highlighted the lack of digital literacy and infrastructure.

He said there is a significant gap in digital literacy within the population, which hampers the effective utilisation of ICT tools and services.

The social and economic return from public investment in this area would be huge and would help address the problem of unemployment among the educated youth.

Such a measure would also increase incomes through freelance and inflow remittances and increase household income across the country in defiance of the rural-urban bias.

On the other hand, inadequate ICT infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, limits the reach and impact of digital services as it leads to unstable internet connections and unreliable power supply.

Reducing this would help bridge the rural-urban digital divide.

To bolster women's entrepreneurship in the ICT sector, he proposed to form a Tk 300 crore fund through which loans can be offered at modest interest rates of 2-5 percent.

Mansur also urged the government, finance ministry and Bangladesh Bank to look at the ICT sector in a new light.

"ICT comes with no tangible assets. Valuation of its intangible assets requires a different approach. And I think Bangladesh Bank needs to guide our commercial banks and financial institutions to come forward and help the ICT sector."

In addition, he said the central bank and government can allocate resources in the form of a revolving fund.

He also opined that Bangladesh should develop the capacity to produce 1 lakh highly-skilled ICT graduates every year.

"Prepare a roadmap for that, select the universities, review their curriculum and make it of global standards. Try to bring out the best Bangladeshi students through that system."

Russell T Ahmed, president of the BASIS, said developing skilled human resources is the most important step towards growing the sector.

The only raw materials of the ICT industry are human resources. Unfortunately, we must pay 27.5 percent tax and VAT for any training we avail from an ICT organisation.

"If that is withdrawn, we will be able to contribute more and Bangladeshi IT companies will perform wonders," he added.

M Rashidul Hasan, BASIS senior vice-president, and Syed Mohammad Kamal, vice-president, were also present.​

 

[Saif]

Logitech releases MK220 wireless Bangla keyboard and mouse combo

Logitech has launched the MK220 wireless Bangla keyboard and mouse combo in Bangladesh. The combo offers a compact keyboard and a mouse, both of which come with 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity that works up to 10 meters away, as per the company.

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Logitech releases MK220 wireless Bangla keyboard and mouse combo

Logitech MK220

Logitech has launched the MK220 wireless Bangla keyboard and mouse combo in Bangladesh. The combo offers a compact keyboard and a mouse, both of which come with 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity that works up to 10 meters away, as per the company.

According to an official press release, this is the first Logitech wireless keyboard embedded in Bangla font (Bijoy layout). Logitech also states that the keyboard's battery can last up to 24 months, while the mouse's battery life can extend up to 12 months.

The keyboard and mouse combo works by plugging a USB receiver into the computer's USB port. It is compatible with Windows-based PCs and ChromeOS, as per Logitech.

The Logitech MK220 wireless Bangla keyboard and mouse combo is priced at BDT 2,249.​

 

[Saif]

Mobile internet speed must reach a face-saving level

MOBILE network operators have expanded their reach and improved their technological infrastructure, but they have, sadly, failed to maintain mobile internet...

www.newagebd.net

Mobile internet speed must reach a face-saving level
16 June, 2024, 00:07

MOBILE network operators have expanded their reach and improved their technological infrastructure, but they have, sadly, failed to maintain mobile internet speed. In Ookla's Speedtest Global Index for April, Bangladesh ranked in the 110th position in mobile internet speed, slightly up from the previous ranking, but not promising. The latest report shows that the average internet download speed was 23.83 Mbps, a slight decline from the 24.59 Mbps reported in March. In the Digital Quality of Life Index 2023, Bangladesh ranked in the 82nd out of 121 nations, 73 per cent slower than India. In May, the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority held a public hearing where users complained of poor network coverage, slow internet speed and 'unjust' balance deduction. The regulators mentioned an uneven distribution and an increasing building density as reasons for the poor speed and assured that they are working with city development authorities to include digital connectivity issues in the building code. That Bangladesh is still struggling to maintain the global average download speed makes it obvious that monitoring without a scientifically informed policy and proper network infrastructure will not guarantee internet speed.


Bangladesh's performance in broadband internet speed is equally disappointing. The Oakla report says that the median fixed broadband download speed for April was 46.52 Mbps, an increase from the previous report but still far from the global median internet speed. In November 2023, the capital city was ranked in the 140th position out of 172 cities with a median download speed of 17.8 Mbps. Global organisations also consider internet affordability, electronic infrastructure, electronic security and electronic government as fundamental pillars that define digital quality of life and the status of digital democracy. A government relying so heavily on the rhetoric of building a digital Bangladesh has not only restricted online spaces but also proved very slow in improving digital literacy. A recent study by the United Nations Children's Fund and the Bangladesh authorities reported that three-fourths of the 30.9 million youth do not have the expected level of digital skills and about 57.8 per cent are without the secondary-level skills needed for employment. Setting aside the issues of internet freedom and digital literacy, information and technology experts also blame the government for its flawed policy. Some experts term the telecommunications policy dysfunctional because only 20 per cent of mobile towers are plugged with fibre-optic cable in the 184 million-plus subscribers' market.

The statistical scenario of the quality of digital life in Bangladesh suggests that the government's claim about building a digital Bangladesh is largely unfounded. In reality, the government's strategy of digital governance is more focused on curtailing online freedom and expanding the reach than ensuring the quality of internet services. The government must, therefore, review its telecommunications policy and address the concerns.​

 

[Saif]

Reflecting on BD's IT sector potential & success

India's success in IT export, reaching $199 billion in 2024, has been a decisive inspiration factor for Bangladesh and many other less developed countries. In 2023, India's IT industry experienced over 11 per cent growth-expanding exports by almost $20 billion in a single year. With the success of

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Reflecting on BD's IT sector potential & success
M ROKONUZZAMAN
Published :
Jun 21, 2024 21:47
Updated :
Jun 21, 2024 21:47

Bangladesh has emerged as a vibrant hub of the ICT industry Photo : a2i.gov.bd Photo

India's success in IT export, reaching $199 billion in 2024, has been a decisive inspiration factor for Bangladesh and many other less developed countries. In 2023, India's IT industry experienced over 11 per cent growth-expanding exports by almost $20 billion in a single year. With the success of India, Bangladesh's dream of reaching $5 billion in exports and creating jobs for 1 million youths within the next few years appears to be a highly achievable target. Despite such an apparent possibility, there seems to be a high risk of meeting this target. One of the reasons is the repeated failure to meet targets over the last 25 years. Hence, it's time to reflect on the high gap between reality and apparent possibility.

COMMONLY CITED LIMITATIONS: At the dawn of the 21st century, commonly cited limitations included (i) lack of submarine cable connectivity, (ii) high power failure rate, (iii) scanty supply of computer science graduates, (v) high cost of Bandwidth, (vi) low internet penetration, and (vii) minimal IT expenditure of the government. Fortunately, despite these there has been significant progress in all these areas. For example, in addition to two submarine cables landing at the shore of Bangladesh, the country is connected to more than a dozen of submarine cables in India through terrestrial cables. The fibre optics network has been expanded to connect most areas of the country. On the other hand, number of graduates in computer science and engineering has crossed from less than a thousand in 2005 to over twenty-five thousand per year. To augment it further, the government provided training by recruiting foreign firms for many youths. Besides, government expenditure on IT has jumped from tens of millions to over a billion over the last 25 years. Similar progress has taken place in all other commonly cited areas. Despite this, why has Bangladesh not met the target that was set to reach twenty years ago?

There appears to be no strong correlation between the progress in addressing commonly cited limitations and the ground reality. Does it mean there has been a deficiency in understanding what it takes to develop software business and IT service export revenue? Hence, let's look into relevant issues further.

BARRIERS TO REPLICATING INDIA'S LINEAR MODEL: In the late 1980s, a window of remote IT service opened up due to the rapid progression of telecommunication, primarily due to VSAT connectivity and the sudden need to fix Y2K bugs. India was a forerunner in tapping this opportunity compared to other less developed countries. India changed several policies to allow private companies to install VSAT terminals to establish seamless connectivity with their overseas clients overnight. Besides, Motorola's software development operation in Bangalore demonstrated the possibilities. Hence, a wave of IT service delivery to American and foreign clients started taking off. Among others, struggling Infosys found a scalable growth path. The business model was plain and simple. Instead of sending graduates to client sites, connecting them remotely with VSAT terminals became a new business model. Unlike developing software, Infosys, Tata Consulting, and many others focused on training graduates and leasing them to foreign clients over the network, giving birth to the linear model.

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[Saif]

IT exports decline in July-March

Bangladesh’s IT exports declined in July-March of the current financial year, highlighting the country’s struggle to gain a foothold in the global information and communications technology sector.

www.thedailystar.net

IT exports decline in July-March

Bangladesh's IT exports declined in July-March of the current financial year, highlighting the country's struggle to gain a foothold in the global information and communications technology sector.

According to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), earnings of IT firms dropped 2.33 percent to $407.07 million in the first nine months of 2023-24. In the same period a year prior, shipments stood at $416.79 million.

Software exports dropped by 25 percent to $28.6 million and computer consultancy services plummeted 45 percent to $14 million. Earnings from IT-enabled services, however, increased by 4.64 percent to $361.30 million.

If the current IT export trend persists, the sector might see a drop in shipments for the second year in a row. In 2022-23, overseas sales from the industry fell for the first time in five years.

Earnings of IT firms dropped 2.33 percent to $407.07 million in the first nine months of 2023-24

Industry people said the fact that the country has failed to produce big IT firms is an ominous sign for the government's export diversification efforts. Garment accounts for about 85 percent of Bangladesh's earnings from the external sector.

"The negative growth of software services gives a bad signal," said Fahim Mashroor, a former president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).

The export fall in July-March came although exporters are benefiting from a higher dollar rate, which has gained by 35 percent against the taka in the past two years. One explanation might be that exporters are not bringing in proceeds since the local currency is expected to weaken further amid the persistently lower level of foreign currency reserves.

"Although Bangladesh's software exports are declining, other countries like Pakistan have been displaying higher growth for the past few years," Mashroor added.

Pakistan's IT exports increased 25 percent year-on-year to $2.93 billion in July-May of FY24 although the country is far behind Bangladesh in various economic and social indicators.

Syed Almas Kabir, another former BASIS president, said big changes in global IT outsourcing have contributed to the negative growth in the sector.

He explained the IT services Bangladesh exports require low skills but they are now being replaced by automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

"For example, we used to export large volumes in the 2D graphics and manual data entry segments, both of which can now be handled through robotic automation and AI. These factors have primarily contributed to the downturn in ICT exports," Kabir said.

"Global companies now want to outsource high-level tasks. Therefore, unless we can build a workforce capable of handling such tasks, we will continue to lose contracts. Our workforce needs to learn sophisticated tasks such as 3D animation, blockchain, data analysis, and AI.

"Unless these changes are made, exports will continue to decline."

The IT entrepreneur added if broadband is not extended to remote areas and the curriculum is not updated, the export earnings would not receive a boost.

The grim scenario of Bangladesh's IT exports comes despite the government spending thousands of crores of taka on IT infrastructure and skill development projects over the past decade and a half.

Asked if these initiatives have created skilled manpower capable of competing globally, Kabir said: "Unfortunately, not."

He said there are good intentions at the top level of the government to make Bangladesh an ICT powerhouse, but failures have occurred in implementation.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

আইটি রপ্তানিতে কেবলই পেছাচ্ছে বাংলাদেশ

রপ্তানি উন্নয়ন ব্যুরোর (ইপিবি) তথ্য অনুসারে, ২০২৩-২৪ অর্থবছরের প্রথম নয় মাসে দেশের তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর আয় দুই দশমিক ৩৩ শতাংশ কমে হয়েছে ৪০ কোটি ৭০ লাখ ৭০ হাজার ৭০ হাজার ডলার। আগের বছরের তা ছিল ৪১ কোটি ৬৭ লাখ ৯০ হাজার ডলার।

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আইটি রপ্তানিতে কেবলই পেছাচ্ছে বাংলাদেশ

রপ্তানি উন্নয়ন ব্যুরোর (ইপিবি) তথ্য অনুসারে, ২০২৩-২৪ অর্থবছরের প্রথম নয় মাসে দেশের তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর আয় দুই দশমিক ৩৩ শতাংশ কমে হয়েছে ৪০ কোটি ৭০ লাখ ৭০ হাজার ৭০ হাজার ডলার। আগের বছরের তা ছিল ৪১ কোটি ৬৭ লাখ ৯০ হাজার ডলার।

চলতি অর্থবছরের জুলাই-মার্চে দেশের আইটি পণ্যের রপ্তানি কমেছে প্রায় আড়াই শতাংশ। এ থেকে স্পষ্টত বোঝা যায় যে, বৈশ্বিক তথ্য-প্রযুক্তি খাতে প্রতিযোগিতায় টিকে থাকতে ধুঁকছে বাংলাদেশ।

রপ্তানি উন্নয়ন ব্যুরোর (ইপিবি) তথ্য অনুসারে, ২০২৩-২৪ অর্থবছরের প্রথম নয় মাসে দেশের তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর আয় দুই দশমিক ৩৩ শতাংশ কমে হয়েছে ৪০ কোটি ৭০ লাখ ৭০ হাজার ৭০ হাজার ডলার। আগের বছরের তা ছিল ৪১ কোটি ৬৭ লাখ ৯০ হাজার ডলার।

সফটওয়্যার রপ্তানি ২৫ শতাংশ কমে দুই কোটি ৮৬ লাখ ডলার ও কম্পিউটার কনসালটেন্সি সেবা ৪৫ শতাংশ কমে এক কোটি ৪০ লাখ ডলারে দাঁড়িয়েছে। তবে আইটি সেবা থেকে আয় চার দশমিক ৬৪ শতাংশ বেড়ে ৩৬১ দশমিক ৩০ মিলিয়ন ডলারে দাঁড়িয়েছে।

আইটি পণ্য রপ্তানির বর্তমান ধারা অব্যাহত থাকলে এ খাতে টানা দ্বিতীয় বছরের মতো রপ্তানি কমতে পারে। ২০২২-২৩ অর্থবছরে পাঁচ বছরের মধ্যে প্রথমবারের মতো এ খাত থেকে রপ্তানি কমে যায়।

সংশ্লিষ্টরা বলছেন, বাংলাদেশ বড় বড় আইটি প্রতিষ্ঠান তৈরিতে ব্যর্থ হওয়ায় তা সরকারের রপ্তানি বহুমুখীকরণ প্রচেষ্টার জন্য অশনিসংকেত। দেশের আয়ের প্রায় ৮৫ শতাংশই আসে অন্য খাত থেকে।

বাংলাদেশ অ্যাসোসিয়েশন অব সফটওয়্যার অ্যান্ড ইনফরমেশন সার্ভিসেসের (বেসিস) সাবেক সভাপতি ফাহিম মাশরুর দ্য ডেইলি স্টারকে বলেন, 'সফটওয়্যার সেবায় নেতিবাচক পরিস্থিতি খারাপ সংকেত।'

ডলারের বেশি দাম হওয়ায় রপ্তানিকারকরা লাভবান হচ্ছেন। গত দুই বছরে ডলারের দাম ৩৫ শতাংশ বেড়েছে। রিজার্ভ ক্রমাগত কমতে থাকায় টাকা আরও দুর্বল হতে পারে এমন আশঙ্কায় রপ্তানিকারকদের অনেকে তাদের আয় দেশে আনছেন না।

তিনি আরও বলেন, 'যদিও দেশের সফটওয়্যার রপ্তানি কমছে। তবে পাকিস্তানের মতো অন্যান্য দেশ গত কয়েক বছর ধরে এই খাতে উচ্চ প্রবৃদ্ধি ধরে রাখছে।'

আর্থ-সামাজিক সূচকে বাংলাদেশের তুলনায় অনেক পিছিয়ে থাকলেও ২০২৩-২৪ অর্থবছরের জুলাই থেকে মে মাস পর্যন্ত পাকিস্তানের আইটি পণ্য রপ্তানি বছরে ২৫ শতাংশ বেড়ে দুই দশমিক ৯৩ বিলিয়ন ডলার হয়েছে।

বেসিসের অপর সাবেক সভাপতি সৈয়দ আলমাস কবীর ডেইলি স্টারকে বলেন, 'বৈশ্বিক আইটি আউটসোর্সিংয়ে বড় ধরনের পরিবর্তন এ খাতে নেতিবাচক পরিস্থিতি সৃষ্টি করেছে।'

তার ভাষ্য, দেশের আইটি সেবা রপ্তানিতে কম দক্ষতার কর্মী দরকার হলেও এখন এই খাতে অটোমেশন ও কৃত্রিম বুদ্ধিমত্তার (এআই) জয়জয়কার।

'ভারতে আছে শতাধিক রপ্তানিমুখী প্রতিষ্ঠান। সেখানে ৫০ হাজারের বেশি ইঞ্জিনিয়ার কাজ করছেন। যেহেতু বাংলাদেশি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো আকারে ছোট, তাই তারা বড় কাজ পায় না। ফলে তাদের আয় কম।'

'যেমন, আমরা টুডি গ্রাফিক্স ও ম্যানুয়াল ডেটা এন্ট্রি প্রচুর রপ্তানি করতাম। এসব এখন রোবোটিক অটোমেশন ও এআই এর মাধ্যমে করা যায়। এটি আইসিটি রপ্তানি মন্দায় ভূমিকা রেখেছে।'

'বৈশ্বিক প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো এখন উচ্চ পর্যায়ের কাজে আউটসোর্সিং করতে চায়। যতক্ষণ না আমরা এ ধরনের কাজ করতে সক্ষম কর্মী তৈরি করতে পারছি ততক্ষণ আমরা কাজ হারাতে থাকব। আমাদের কর্মীদের থ্রিডি অ্যানিমেশন, ব্লকচেইন, ডেটা অ্যানালাইসিস ও এআইয়ের মতো অত্যাধুনিক কাজ শিখতে হবে।'

'এসব না বদলালে রপ্তানি কমতেই থাকবে,' বলেও মত দেন তিনি।

এই আইটি উদ্যোক্তা মনে করেন, ব্রডব্যান্ড যদি দেশের প্রত্যন্ত অঞ্চলে প্রসার ঘটানো না যায় এবং পাঠ্যক্রম আপডেট না করা হয় তবে আইটি খাতে রপ্তানি আয় বাড়বে না।

গত দেড় দশক ধরে সরকার আইটি অবকাঠামো ও দক্ষতা উন্নয়ন প্রকল্পে কয়েক হাজার কোটি টাকা খরচ করলেও আইটি রপ্তানিতে এমন ভয়াবহ চিত্র দেখা যাচ্ছে।

এসব উদ্যোগ বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রতিযোগিতায় টিকে থাকার মতো দক্ষ জনশক্তি তৈরি করেছে কিনা জানতে চাইলে কবীর বলেন, 'দুর্ভাগ্যজনক যে, তা হয়নি।'

তার মতে, 'বাংলাদেশকে আইসিটি পাওয়ার হাউস হিসেবে গড়ে তুলতে সরকারের শীর্ষ পর্যায়ে সদিচ্ছা থাকলেও তা বাস্তবায়নে ব্যর্থতা দেখা গেছে।'

তিনি আরও বলেন, 'ধরুন, ১০০ তরুণ আইসিটির কোনো বিষয়ে তিন মাসের কোর্সে অংশ নিয়েছেন। তারা কতটা শিখেছেন তা মূল্যায়ন করতে তৃতীয় পক্ষের অডিট দরকার। কিন্তু, আমরা সেরকম কিছু দেখছি না।'

'যেহেতু সরকার আইসিটি খাতের উন্নয়নে প্রচুর খরচ করছে, তা ফলপ্রসূ হচ্ছে কিনা ও সঠিক উপায়ে টাকা খরচ হচ্ছে কিনা এ নিয়ে মূল্যায়ন অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ।'

সফটওয়্যার প্রতিষ্ঠান ড্রিম৭১ বাংলাদেশ লিমিটেডের ব্যবস্থাপনা পরিচালক রাশাদ কবির আইটি পণ্য রপ্তানিতে এমন মন্দাকে অস্বাভাবিক বলে মনে করেন না।

তিনি বলেন, 'এটা প্রায় এক বছর আগে এমনটি ধারণা করা হয়েছিল। এর প্রাথমিক কারণ বিশ্বব্যাপী অর্থনৈতিক মন্দা ও দীর্ঘ সময় ধরে চলা উচ্চ মূল্যস্ফীতি।'

২০২২ ও ২০২৩ সালে আইটি খাতে কর্মীর সংখ্যা উল্লেখযোগ্য হারে কমেছে। ২০২৪ সালে বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রযুক্তি খাতে ছাঁটাই চলছে। এটি এই ইঙ্গিত দেয় যে প্রযুক্তি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর ব্যবসা ভালো চলছে না।

যেহেতু দেশের আইটি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলোর প্রধান রপ্তানি আউটসোর্সিং, তাই আয় কমেছে।

দেশি আইটি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো মূলত স্টার্টআপগুলোর সঙ্গে কাজ করে। কারণ তাদের সস্তায় আউটসোর্সিংয়ের প্রতি ঝোঁক বেশি। বিশ্বব্যাপী অর্থনৈতিক মন্দার কারণে স্টার্টআপগুলো তহবিল পেতে সমস্যায় পড়ছে। ফলে, তারা নতুন প্রযুক্তি পণ্যের আপগ্রেড বা প্রসার বন্ধ করে দিয়েছে।

কৃত্রিম বুদ্ধিমত্তা, ডেটা সায়েন্স ও ব্লকচেইনের মতো উন্নত প্রযুক্তির ক্ষেত্রে দক্ষ মানবসম্পদের অভাব আইটি পণ্য রপ্তানি কমার আরেক কারণ।

'বিশ্বব্যাপী আইটি পণ্যের চাহিদা প্রচলিত প্রযুক্তি থেকে উন্নত প্রযুক্তিতে বদলে যাচ্ছে,' উল্লেখ করে রাশাদ কবির বলেন, 'নানা কারণে বাংলাদেশ আধুনিক প্রযুক্তির জন্য যথেষ্ট দক্ষ মানবসম্পদ তৈরি করতে পারছে না। আমরা সম্ভাবনাময় বাজার ও ব্যবসার সুযোগ হারাচ্ছি।'

সংশ্লিষ্টদের মতে, ২০২৫ সালের মধ্যে পাঁচ বিলিয়ন ডলারের তথ্যপ্রযুক্তি পণ্য রপ্তানির যে লক্ষ্যমাত্রা বাংলাদেশ নিয়েছে তা অর্জন নাও হতে পারে।

ফাহিম মাশরুরের মত, 'রপ্তানি কম হওয়ার আরেক কারণ—দেশের বেশির ভাগ রপ্তানিমুখী আইটি প্রতিষ্ঠানই আকারে ছোট।'

তিনি বলেন, 'দেশে ৫০টিরও কম রপ্তানিমুখী আইটি প্রতিষ্ঠান আছে যাদের প্রতিটির কর্মীর সংখ্যা অন্তত ১০০। এক হাজারের বেশি কর্মীর কোনো প্রতিষ্ঠান নেই।'

'ভারতে আছে শতাধিক রপ্তানিমুখী প্রতিষ্ঠান। সেখানে ৫০ হাজারের বেশি ইঞ্জিনিয়ার কাজ করছেন। যেহেতু বাংলাদেশি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো আকারে ছোট, তাই তারা বড় কাজ পায় না। ফলে তাদের আয় কম।'

'আমরা যদি পাঁচ বিলিয়ন ডলারের লক্ষ্যমাত্রা অর্জন করতে চাই, তাহলে ন্যূনতম ১০০ প্রতিষ্ঠান থাকতে হবে। সেখানে এক হাজারের বেশি প্রকৌশলী কাজ করবে,' যোগ করেন তিনি।​

 

[Saif]

Ecommerce a path to progress for SMEs in Bangladesh

In general, e-commerce is the exchange of goods and services, and the transmission of funds and data over internet. It is governed by technology and digital platforms, including websites, mobile apps and social media, which make buying and selling more feasible.

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Ecommerce a path to progress for SMEs in Bangladesh

In general, e-commerce is the exchange of goods and services, and the transmission of funds and data over internet. It is governed by technology and digital platforms, including websites, mobile apps and social media, which make buying and selling more feasible.

Nowadays ecommerce has become a pathfinder for businesses worldwide, including small enterprises in Bangladesh. As Bangladesh evolves technologically, it's critical for small businesses to adapt ecommerce for sustainable growth and progress.

Traditional brick-and-mortar enterprises are restricted by geographical limitations, but ecommerce allows these businesses to reach customers across the country and even globally. This increased reach converts into more prospective customers and higher sales.

In addition, setting up and preserving an online store is often more economical than running a physical store. Overheads such as rent, utilities, and staff wages are significantly condensed. Moreover, digital marketing is generally more affordable and target-oriented than traditional marketing approaches.

In today's world, buyers value convenience over many other concerns. Ecommerce offers access to shop anytime and anywhere, making it stress-free for customers. This convenience can always lead to improved customer loyalty and repeat business.

Ecommerce platforms provide valuable insights about customer behaviour, preferences, and trends through data analytics. This data can help entrepreneurs make seamless decisions, tailor offerings, and improve customer satisfaction.

As businesses grow, scaling up an online store is easier than expanding a physical store. With ecommerce, we can add new products, move into new markets, and handle higher volumes of transactions with minimal capital expenditure.

Interestingly, the ecommerce industry has a significant dependency on logistical support, and this support plays a critical role in ensuring customer satisfaction and business competence. Logistical services include transportation from manufacturer to warehouse, warehousing and order fulfilment, and delivery to end customers.

Customers anticipate fast and dependable delivery services. A true smart logistics system optimises delivery routes and manages inventory competently avoiding over-stocking, offers real-time tracking and timely updates, and ensures products reach customers on time and hassle-free returns.

Smart logistics also leverage technology to reduce transportation and storage costs. By using data analytics, enterprises can optimise inventory levels, reduce wastage, and simplify operations. By optimising routes and merging shipments, smart logistics reduce carbon footprints and help us align with Sustainable Development Goals.

An efficient smart logistics system is flexible to changes in demand and can scale up operations during peak times. This adaptability ensures we handle growth and fluctuations without compromising service quality.

Building a balanced ecosystem between ecommerce and smart logistics is essential for exploiting the benefits of both. First, adopting accurate technology is the foundation of a successful ecommerce and logistics strategy.

Entrepreneurs should invest in a robust ecommerce platform that integrates with a user-friendly smart logistics management system. This combination ensures seamless operations from order placement to delivery. Ecommerce should also focus on partnering with local logistics providers who understand the regional market and can offer tailored solutions.

The business operation team should have the necessary skills and knowledge to manage ecommerce and logistics operations. Regular training on new technologies, customer service, and logistics management can enhance overall performance. Continuously monitoring the ecommerce and logistics processes is the key to success. Performance indicators to measure success and identify areas for improvement should be ongoing.

For the sake of small businesses, embracing ecommerce with smart logistics is not just a choice but a necessity for sustainable growth. An effective synergy between ecommerce and smart logistics can pave the way for stable, scalable, and prosperous business ventures in the digital age.

The author is a banker.​