‘Shortage of trained workforce is the main barrier to digitalisation'
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2022
SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
‘Shortage of trained workforce is the main barrier to digitalisation'

Tech/IT

Eyamin Sajid
06 March, 2020, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 06 March, 2020, 12:54 pm

Related News

  • Grameenphone launches 'GP Academy' in partnership with Telenor and Cisco
  • Alarm bells ring over environmental cost of digitalisation at eCommerce Week: UNCTAD
  • Grameenphone secures maximum allowable 60 MHz additional spectrum
  • How cash transfers bring more women into the workforce
  • MFS industry needs more skilled workforce, investment to flourish: upay MD

‘Shortage of trained workforce is the main barrier to digitalisation'

In a short interview with The Business Standard, Cisco’s Managing Director for India and Saarc region Sudhir Nayar focused on creating a skilled and empowered team

Eyamin Sajid
06 March, 2020, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 06 March, 2020, 12:54 pm
Sudhir Nayar, Managing Director of Cisco. Photo: Saikat Bhadra
Sudhir Nayar, Managing Director of Cisco. Photo: Saikat Bhadra

Cisco, a US-based global leader in networking for internet and technology, saw three times higher business growth in the last quarter of 2019 in Bangladesh compared to that in India. 
 
In a short interview with The Business Standard, Cisco's Managing Director for India and Saarc region Sudhir Nayar focused on creating a skilled and empowered team.
 
With 30 plus business management experiences in the technology industry, Sudhir talked about the promises and challenges of Bangladesh's Information Technology (IT) sector.
 
Could you walk us through Cisco's business in Bangladesh?
 
We have been providing IT services in Bangladesh since 1998. 

Now we have thousands of customers here using 12,000 plus systems. For us, Bangladesh was the fastest growing country in the Saarc region in 2019. 

In the last quarter of 2019, Cisco's growth in Bangladesh was three times higher than that in India. Although the company's revenue was not that high, it gave Cisco a vital sign of Bangladesh's market. We doubled our workforce and office space here to accommodate our expanding operations. 

Photo: Saikat Bhadra
Photo: Saikat Bhadra

Who are Cisco's top customers in Bangladesh?
 
The Bangladesh government is the leading consumer of the company's technology, while 88 percent banks and financial institutions use Cisco's technology. 

Cisco powers the national data centre, e-passport programme, and 80 percent of internet connections in government offices.
 
How is Cisco supporting small and medium enterprises to go digital?

To facilitate the digitalisation of businesses and help them serve global customers, Cisco has introduced products specifically designed for small and medium enterprises that provide them access to simple, secure, and smart enterprise-class technologies. 
 
Bangladesh now has a demographic dividend. What is Cisco's take on that?

Educating students is our priority programme all over the world. As a technology company, we help students understand the technology and make things easy for them. You have everything covered when you have an educated workforce. 
 
We have set up 15 networking academies across Bangladesh to train students in new-age technologies, and 38,000 students have received training so far. Cisco plans to increase it to 50,000 by 2020. 
 
Data privacy and security is one of the biggest threats today. As an IT company, how can Cisco ensure customers' data privacy? 
 
Data security is at the heart of every single technology. Cisco ensures data security in all of its services – whether it is a network, data centre, or collaboration. We have a full-fledged security architecture. It is not like we are just selling products and saying ''you are secure''. 
 
We have the largest man and machine combined centre in the USA. It tracks emerging global trends and threats every single minute. As soon as we sense there is a threat, we start working on protecting our customers. When we find a solution to that threat, we send an update to our customers requesting them to be updated. 
 
Also, if there is an incident, we have an arrangement to fix the problem with the best global experts, whom we call quick incident resolvers. 

What are the challenges that Cisco noticed in Bangladesh during its two decade-plus operations?

The shortage of a technically trained workforce is the main barrier we experienced over the years. It is also the main challenge in all developing countries. 

We need more skilled people. For that, the education system has to be more practical and experience-based.  

Photo: Saikat Bhadra
Photo: Saikat Bhadra

What are the opportunities that Cisco has on the cards for the Bangladeshi workforce? 

We want to digitalise 6 million people and thousands of companies in Bangladesh. Every company wants a trained workforce. 

Youths with practical training and exposure to digital technology have the chance to work with us, regardless of their background.

Many of the financial organisations of our country are vulnerable to technological threats. What is Cisco doing about that?
 
We conduct knowledge sharing sessions to educate our technology subscribers. We are very active on our website, where we put a lot of resources there for customers. 
 
Which industries are your priority sectors in Bangladesh? 
 
My priority is any company that wants to go digital. They may be from different sectors –banking, finance, government, manufacturing, hotels, and hospitals. All are my priority. 

Corporates / Top News

Cisco / digitalisation / shortage / workforce

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Finance projects export fall, remittance rise
    Finance projects export fall, remittance rise
  • Photo: TBS
    After 72-hour ultimatum, health directorate goes after illegal medical facilities 
  • Photo: Bloomberg
    Direct shipping now to Netherlands 

MOST VIEWED

  • Walton launches new models of SSDs
    Walton launches new models of SSDs
  • realme to launch new variant of 8 Pro, AIoT products
    realme to launch new variant of 8 Pro, AIoT products
  • WhatsApp sues India govt, says new media rules mean end to privacy
    WhatsApp sues India govt, says new media rules mean end to privacy
  • imo launches ‘Multiple Account Support’ for Bangladeshi users
    imo launches ‘Multiple Account Support’ for Bangladeshi users
  • Walton's globe trotting
    Walton's globe trotting
  • Gadget and Gear launches "Eid Mega Deal Campaign"
    Gadget and Gear launches "Eid Mega Deal Campaign"

Related News

  • Grameenphone launches 'GP Academy' in partnership with Telenor and Cisco
  • Alarm bells ring over environmental cost of digitalisation at eCommerce Week: UNCTAD
  • Grameenphone secures maximum allowable 60 MHz additional spectrum
  • How cash transfers bring more women into the workforce
  • MFS industry needs more skilled workforce, investment to flourish: upay MD

Features

Women voluntarily joined the peaceful procession and protested by wearing clothing of their own choice. Photo: Trishia Nashtaran

The unhealthy obsession with what women wear

5h | Panorama
Illustration: Freepik

Bangladesh is on the verge of destigmatising menstruation

9h | Features
Photo: Collected

The death of Davos?

15h | Panorama
A male Baya Weaver beating wings. Photo: Enam Ul Haque

Baya Weavers weave: ‘Must be witnessed to be fully credited’

19h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Attorney General's suggestion to reduce case clutter

Attorney General's suggestion to reduce case clutter

10h | Videos
Russian forces take Liman city of Ukraine

Russian forces take Liman city of Ukraine

10h | Videos
JU food prices spike, students suffer

JU food prices spike, students suffer

10h | Videos
5% tax on poultry farmers earning above Tk10 lakh

5% tax on poultry farmers earning above Tk10 lakh

10h | Videos

Most Read

1
Bangladesh Bank GM, DGM’s designation changed
Banking

Bangladesh Bank GM, DGM’s designation changed

2
Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards
NBR

Corporates go cashless…tax cut on cards

3
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

Misfit Technologies: A Singaporean startup rooted firmly in Bangladesh

4
British International Investment (BII) CEO Nick O’Donohoe. Illustration: TBS
Economy

BII to invest $450m in Bangladesh in 5 years

5
Representational image. Picture: Pixabay
Economy

Govt raises regulatory duty to discourage imports of 130 products

6
Photo: Collected
Industry

Spanish recycled cotton producer opens new facility in Bangladesh

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab