Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday opened Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park in Jessore and expressed hope that ICT would be the biggest export earning sector for Bangladesh in the near future.

"I think that the goods to be produced from ICT sector will make the biggest contributions to the country's export and in this way we want to impart training to the youths of the country," she said.

The premier opened the software park through a video conferencing from her official residence Gono Bhaban in Dhaka.

She also reiterated that the government would establish a hi-tech park in each district to help flourish the ICT sector and generate employment.

ICT will soon be added to the list of the country's exportable products, Hasina said.

State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak delivered the welcome speech when Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Post and Telecom Ministry Imran Ahmed was also present.

ICT Division Secretary Subir Kishore Choudhury gave an overview of the park through a power point presentation while PM's Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury moderated the function at Gono Bhaban.

Hasina said her government has been working to turn the country into Digital Bangladesh after assuming office in 2009.

"The people of the country witnessed what work we did in our journey towards Digital Bangladesh."

The premier said the government started digitisation in every field after announcing the Digital Bangladesh vision in 2009, and the software park is a part of the initiative.

"I believe that with the inauguration of the park, we've crossed another step towards building Bangladesh as a science and knowledge-based modern country."

Terming the software park a beautiful establishment, Hasina said there is no doubt that it would attract everybody. "I extend my sincere thanks to all who were involved in it."

She mentioned that the work of the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park is progressing fast.

For the development of the country, the goal of the government is to reach the grassroots level, she said. "We'll go up to the grassroots level, not only to the capital."

She said her previous government during 1996-2001 digitalised analogue telephones.

"We had given attention to get connected with the submarine cable and on software development," she said.