The government has set a target to develop infrastructure for the ICT sector by investing about $500 million in the next two years to build 28 hi-tech, software and IT parks across the country.

The funds will come from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Indian credit and the government's own sources, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT division, told The Daily Star recently.

“Our aim is to earn $5 billion from this sector by 2021, and to reach the target, we need to develop the infrastructure,” said Palak.

Simultaneously, the government is developing human resources, establishing connectivity and improving related policies, the minister added.

“This will help us foster an ICT-related business environment and speed up the country's digitisation process.” The government's initial target is to earn $1 billion in software exports and outsourcing by 2018.

By 2021, the ICT sector will contribute more than 5 percent to the country's gross domestic product, according to the government's target.

The Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) has made progress in building the Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park at Janata Tower in Dhaka at a cost of Tk 248 crore, which will be inaugurated in June.

Space has been allotted to 24 companies on the park premises with only Tk 10 as rent per square feet.

A total of 10,000 IT professionals can work at the park simultaneously, according to BHTPA.

In the last week of April, the government approved the establishment of 12 tech parks in different districts at a cost of Tk 1,796.40 crore, to move closer to a digital economy.

Of the amount, Tk 1,544 crore will come in the form of credit from India and the government will bear the rest of the amount.

The parks will be built in Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur, Natore, Chittagong, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Gopalganj, Dhaka and Sylhet. The government is also halfway through completing the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City in Gazipur, which will employ nearly 70,000 in the next 10 years.

The BHTPA has started land development for a 'Silicon City' in Rajshahi at an allocation of Tk 300 crore and targets to complete it by next year, said Palak. The infrastructure will lead to the exponential growth of this sector, he added.

Palak said the government is about to build a knowledge-based society by 2021 and at the same time, create jobs for 20 lakh youths in this sector.