Awami League government is for people's welfare using digital technology: Sajeeb Wazed

"We have digitized different government systems, established digital centres in every union throughout the country, set up multimedia classrooms in schools, digitized textbooks. All these are part of our goal to serve the people of the country," he said.

Sajeeb Wazed, an information and communication technology expert, came up with the observation while addressing a function held on the occasion of launching of Software Technology Park in the auditorium of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) here.

Presided over Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT Division, the function was also attended by Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, and ICT Secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder, among others.

"When I was doing my bachelor's in Bangalore, India, IT industries were beginning to be established there. At first, some foreign companies came followed by some local ones. From that humble beginning, now Bangalore is considered as the biggest name in outsourcing.

"From that time, it was my dream to start something like that in Bangladesh. If they can do it, why we wouldn't be able to do this? Now it is a happy moment for me as I am here to inaugurate the maiden Software Technology Park in Bangladesh," a proud Sajeeb said.

While talking about his own struggle, Sajeeb Wazed, also the son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said, "At first I also started as a Startup in Silicon Valley and failed in my first drive, but I did not stop there. Stood up again and got going.

"I cannot sit idle. I have opened a couple of companies, one is doing quite good and one is very good. So don't let failure to catch you. If you fail and fall, just get up and start again."

At the start of his speech, Zunaid Ahmed Palak recalled the memory of Sheikh Russel as today is his 52nd birthday. He also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls of August 15, 1975.

Terming the concept of "Digital Bangladesh" as the brainchild of Sajeeb Wazed, the ICT state minister said under his leadership the youths of the country will fulfill the dream.

"At the request of Sajeeb Wazed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina allocated the 12-storey Janata Tower (at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka) for ICT Ministry. Now we are establishing the Software Technology Park there. It is our goal to establish Digital Bangladesh based on knowledge and technology by 2021," he said.

At the beginning of the programme, Prime Minister's ICT adviser handed over possessions of space in the park to first four companies. He also launched a competition tiled "Connecting Start Ups Bangladesh".