Bangladesh unveils plan for developing youths to use 4IR potentials
Bangladesh has over 6 lakh digital workers, making it making it the second largest workforce in the industry in the world
State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said Bangladesh is making its youth community efficient for the optimal use of potential of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) which is knocking at the door.
"We have made Information and Communications Technology (ICT) mandatory in secondary and higher secondary schools to create skilled human resources while many schools have advanced digital labs," he said.
Palak unveiled the country's plan for developing its youths at 'FICCI Global Young leaders Summit-2020' held online on Wednesday to encourage the youth and their role in the country's sustainable development, according to a press release.
In his keynote paper, the ICT state minister said the government has been constructing 64 Sheikh Kamal IT incubation centres and school of future and 13,000 Sheikh Russel Digital labs in educational institutions across the country.
"All these initiatives are playing a significant role in human resource development in the country," he said.
Referring to the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) survey on online labour force, Palak said Bangladesh has over 6 lakh digital workers, making it the second largest workforce in the industry in the world.
"Even during the pandemic, from the ICT ministry, we have provided training to almost 50,000 youths and women using digital tools," he added.
Palak said the government has been providing digital literacy and skills training on various trades, including digital jobs in the global IT and business process outsourcing industry. It has already provided jobs to more than a million youths and women.
"We have used digital technologies to sustain our economy – from working from home to maintaining the agriculture supply chain. It has played a key role in achieving the 5.2% GDP growth till June 2020," the state minister said.
The main objective is to make Bangladesh the 26th largest economy and achieve a knowledge-based economy and high-income country with a per capita income of over $12,000 by 2041, Palak added.
Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Co-Chair of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) Young Leaders Forum, were, among others spoke at the summit.
