Monday, May 30 2005 08:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: Bangladesh is one of 20 outsourcing destinations designated by the European Union (EU) from where the EU will take software and IT services.

"Bangladesh is ranked among the top 20 outsourcing destinations by the European Union," it was revealed on Saturday (May 28, 2005) at a meet on a project entitled 'Development of Small Business ICT Strategies in Bangladesh', organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

This project is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and has documented the opportunities and gaps existing in the country's ICT sector, the fastest-growing economic activity in the present-day world.

The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC), the Commonwealth Secretariat's technical assistance arm, has worked with Bangladesh's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector on a project aimed at providing a competitive strategy and development plan.

Taking part in the daylong discussion, Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Abdul Moyeen Khan said the Government is committed to establishing a supportive environment for the ICT industry.

The Minister said ICT is not a mere technology - it has an important role in socio-economic development of the country.

Terming ICT "user-friendly" the Minister said even people at grassroots-level can also easily use this technology, and "we can change socio-economic condition of the country properly using the competence and merits of the young generation".

Entrepreneurs, representatives of ICT businesses and experts, ICT officials from the Banking Sector, multinational companies and Government participated in the programme.