'BTTB must be liberalised to facilitate software export'

Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) must be liberalised to facilitate software export from Bangladesh, reports UNB.

The minister was addressing a signing ceremony of a joint venture on software industry between Onirban Bangladesh and PCi Services Inc of USA.

The collaboration between the two companies would help them earn about USD 20 million within next 18 months employing about 200 programmers.

Jameel Azhar of Onirban and Raffi A Festeskjian of PCi signed the agreement. Hundred per cent products of the new venture would be exported to USA.

"When I talk with the BTTB official they say everything is moving rightly but when I talk to you (Entrepreneurs) I find a different scenario," said Tofail.

"The BTTB must be liberalised soon. They should not try to control," he said.

However, the minister invited the experts including Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury and young entrepreneurs at his office to discuss the problems faced by the country's Information Technology sector.

Regarding investment atmosphere in the country, he said although the country enjoys a homogeneous environment, sometimes the image is tarnished due to hartal and other political programmes.

"Everybody should be careful of such situation and avoid such programmes so that the investors do not feel shy to come to Bangladesh," he said.

Earlier, Prof Jamilur urged the government to expedite implementation of the recommendations made by JRC Commission to facilitate economic boom through software export.

"I think the problems are not with policy makers but with bureaucrats," he said.

He also pointed out to the Internet speed problem as one of the major impediments to IT development in Bangladesh.

Others who spoke on the occasion are Board of Investment Chairman M Mokammel Haque, Export Promotion Bureau Vice Chairman AB Chowdhury, PCi representative Raffi A. Festeskjian and Onirban Chief Executive Jameel Azhar. FBCCI President Abdul Awal Mintoo and former FBCCI president Yusef Abdullah Haroon were present.