Cabinet approves revised draft of ICT policy

The Cabinet has approved the draft of a new ICT policy updating the current one to make Bangladesh a developed nation by 2041.

The draft of the ‘National Information and Communication Technology Policy’ was shown the green light during a regular Cabinet meeting on Monday presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“The Cabinet approved the policy in February with certain instructions. It was tabled after incorporating them,” Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hussain Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting.

He said the Cabinet was satisfied with the revised policy.

“Earlier, the policy projected a 30-year vision but the new one aims to make the country a developed nation by 2041.”

He said the policy’s action plans had been divided in three categories: short-term (to be finished by 2016), mid-term (by 2018), and long-term (to be completed by 2021).

The policy also specifies the actors to complete the tasks, he said.
 
The cabinet secretary said it aimed at ensuring transparent, responsible and accountable governance, a skilled workforce, greater social justice, and low-cost public services with a partnership of the government and non-government entities.
 
It also aimed to help make Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed nation by 2041, he added.
 
“The policy calls for adequate budget allocation and long-term credit one easy conditions and low interest to encourage higher education and research in the ICT sector.”
 
The policy also postulated that the VAT and other duties on network accessories would be reduced.
 
The mid-term plan includes giving encouragement to the reuse of valuable metals that go into the manufacture of computers and other ICT products, he said.