No bandwidth shortage in country until 2030: Minister

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Saturday said there will be no shortage of internet bandwidth in the country until 2030.

“Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has showed the youth the courage to choose professions using technology. Nowadays, fast internet is the demand of youth. Currently, we are using internet bandwidth and also exporting it. We will have no shortage of internet bandwidth until 2030,” he said.

Mustafa Jabbar made these remarks while addressing the NEXT Ventures Presents National Freelancers Conference 2023 at the International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka.

Saying that a revolution took place in the country’s technology sector after prime minister withdrew taxes on tech products, especially computers, in 1996, the minister added, “The present government has facilitated development in all sectors including infrastructures to build a digital country. Now the vision is to build a ‘Smart Bangladesh’. In continuation to this, fast internet is available in all union parishads of the country. However, communication skills of our students are not good, and students must hone communication and English skills in addition to passing their examinations.”

Conference convener Faisal Mostafa said, a Facebook group ‘Freelancers of Bangladesh – FOB’ organised this conference. About 3,000 freelancers have joined the day-long event from difference parts of the country.

There were five sessions on graphic design, web development, digital marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) in the conference, followed by a cultural event at night.

Fifteen top freelancers of the country honoured at the conference. They are Mahfuzul Rahman, Sabiha Arefin, Md Mamunur Rashid, Sheikh Khadija Khanam, Shakil Ahmed, Priyanka Gayen, Md Rezaul Islam, Bibi Sauda, AR Srabon, Marzia Akhter, Soyebul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Farzuk Ahmed, Anik Mahmud and Fahim Ul Karim.

Prothom Alo, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing (BACCO), Bangladesh Freelancer Development Society (BFDS), Junior Chamber International (JCI) and Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN) are the associate partners of the conference.

Zepto Apps, Monsterblock Limited Monsterclaw Limited, Business Globaliser, Wind.app, Texagenie, Diana Host Limited, Tapone, Pixeelean, and Kazi & Kazi Tea sponsored the event.