Govt launches first-ever IT desk, portal at London mission to bring FDI

Bangladesh government has launched its first ever IT Desk and B2B Connectivity Portal, the `Bangladesh IT Connect-UK', at the Bangladesh high commission in London to attract more foreign direct investment in the IT sector, reports UNB.

A press release from the London mission said that the desk and portal have been developed by the LICT Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT division of the government in collaboration with the London high commission.

The virtual IT desk and B2B connectivity hub was inaugurated on Friday by state minister for ICT, Zunaid Ahmed Palak with British foreign, commonwealth and development office minister Lord Tariq Ahmad, at a high-profile B2B event tilted Bangladesh-UK@50 : Forging a Digital Economy Partnership.

Lord Ahmad pledged UK's unremitting support and collaboration in promoting a knowledge and technology-based digital economy partnership.

He said, "Tech collaboration between the governments and the people of Bangladesh and the UK will take bilateral relations of the two countries into the next digital age".

Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, "The virtual desk would help foster Bangladesh-UK trade and investments as well as knowledge partnerships in the technology and BPO sectors of both countries."

The virtual desk to be manned by a dedicated officer of the London mission will work as a 'one-stop IT portal.

Already nearly 100 firms have registered in the portal, said the press release.

Bangladesh’s envoy in London Saida Muna Tasneem said, the London mission launched the virtual IT help desk on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and the UK that has been pioneered since 8 January 1972 by the founding president of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and British prime minister Sir Edward Health.