Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister of the ICT Division said, investors from countries like the USA, Japan, Singapore and India invested over $800 million in our market in the past six years to generate an innovation ecosystem in Bangladesh, where entrepreneurs and start-ups will thrive.
He said these things while giving a guest speech at a masterclass organized by GP Academy at the Grameenphone office recently.
More than 300 young students from various educational institutions of the country participated in this event of GP Academy through pre-registration.
In the masterclass, the state minister discussed the four pillars of Smart Bangladesh – Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government and Smart Society.
Palak pointed out that even 18 years back, there had been a lack of fast and affordable connectivity solutions in Bangladesh. But following the Government’s steadfast approach, backed by Grameenphone and similar organizations’ support, now there are over 127 million internet users in Bangladesh, enjoying seamless internet connectivity.
Addressing the Government’s ‘Triple A’ strategy, Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP said: “Our objective has been to make the internet and digital services affordable and available and create awareness for it. In the next 5 to 10 years, we will witness a rapid shift from labour-based economies to tech-based economies, and we must act immediately to align ourselves accordingly”.
He further added: “Our objective now is to generate an innovation ecosystem in Bangladesh, where entrepreneurs and start-ups will thrive. And the ground is ready, with investors from countries like the USA, Japan, Singapore and India investing over $800 million in our market in the past six years. The Government has also invested $50 million, as in the next 18 years, we want to create a knowledge-based economy, as Silicon Valley did in the past.”
He also lightened up the mood at the event by playing a real-time quiz and handing over gifts to a lucky winner. A 4-min animated video was shown at the end, where the attendees discovered the face of a Smart Bangladesh in the future world and were left enthralled at the incredible prospects ahead. Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP thanked Grameenphone for the initiative and congratulated the organization for sustaining strongly as the nation’s connectivity partner.
At the event, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman sat among the mentees, as he proudly declared himself a student for the day. “I believe that I also have many things to learn, and it is indeed a great opportunity for all of us to hear about Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 from one of the key policymakers of the concept, State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP himself,” said Yasir Azman.
He further added: “It is important that we invest in ourselves today, so we can excel tomorrow. Hence, the time is now, for us to focus on getting future-fit, and unleash the potential of Bangladesh in the coming days. We must keep an open mind for learning and growing because the heights of our dreams determine the heights of our next achievements”.
Hossain Sadat, senior director of Corporate Affairs; Farhana Islam, head of Social Impact; Farhana Hossain Shammu, program lead of Grameenphone Academy and other respected officials from Grameenphone were also present during the event.
Grameenphone Academy is an online learning platform (www.grameenphone.academy) which is free of cost for all. The academy also periodically arranges physical sessions on contemporary topics relevant to career, freelancing, and entrepreneurship along with 4IR skills.
Since May 2022, GP Academy has been actively helping the next generation of talents reach their desired and deserving destinations beyond barriers. It has so far facilitated nearly 60 thousand mentees, including nearly nine thousand female candidates, helping them upskill themselves according to the changing needs of the global market.
Over 27 thousand certified students from 167 institutes across the country have found GP Academy to be helpful in their journey to reach their own personal and professional goals, as the platform continues to play its role as a career launchpad, instilling necessary skillsets within the youth for a prosperous tomorrow.
