"We want to turn the country's young generation into human resources as there is a huge demand of such manpower at home and abroad," she said, adding it would contribute significantly to the export of human resources.
While inaugurating the 5th e-Asia, the premiere ICT event of Asia, the Prime Minister also said 20,000 more multimedia classrooms will be set up in the country by 2012 in line with the present government's 'Digital Bangladesh' programme.
"As many as 1600 multimedia classrooms have already been established at educational institutions across the country, while 20,000 more such classrooms would be set up by 2012," she said.
Bangladesh Computer Council, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS), India have jointly arranged the three-day event at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in cooperation with the UNDP-funded Access to Information (A2I) Programme.
With State Minister for Science and ICT Architect Yeafesh Osman in the chair, the inaugural function was also addressed, among others, by international ICT expert Sajib Wazed Joy, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman, President of National e-governance and ICT Department of India Ajoy Sony and CSDMS President NK Narayanan.
Mentioning her government's vision to build a 'Digital Bangladesh' by 2012, the Prime Minister said, "We have prioritized four elements-human resource development, connecting people, promoting access to public services and leveraging technology in business to achieve the goal".
She added: "Our goal is to harness the power of appropriate information and communication technology to achieve the development targets of education, health, employment, poverty reduction and economic development as well as empowerment of toiling masses and build a nation devoid of 'digital divide."
Highlighting various government steps for expansion of the ICT sector, she said her previous government in 1996 set up 12 science and technology universities in various parts of the country and converted four technical institutes into universities.
"We withdrew duties and taxes from the import of ICT products, bringing computers within the reach of common people."
Sheikh Hasina said her government is familiarizing the new generation with the use of technology. "We have introduced e- books for primary and secondary levels which would be useful for researches subsequently."
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Quelle/Source: Teh Financial Express Bangladesh, 02.12.2011
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