As we enter a new era of governance, Bangladesh needs to ensure the growth of the IT industry. With the appointment of the Quota Reform Movement coordinator Nahid Islam as Adviser to the ICT Ministry, the government has sent a clear message that it entrusts the future to the youth. 

With this responsibility, Nahid Islam must address the following issues to stay on the path to becoming a Smart Bangladesh.  

1. Strengthening Cyber Security

One of the key issues exposed during the Quota Reform Movement was the poor state of the nation’s cyber security. For instance, Hackers were able to crack through the defenses of Bangladesh Police’s official website, police.gov.bd. 

In fact, this is not the first time that this problem has proven costly for the citizens. In 2023, there were reports of leaks from the official website of the Office of the Registrar General, Birth & Death Registration: the site contained the personal data of 50 million citizens.

Therefore, cyber security must be a focus for the new management. They need to review and rigorously test all government websites. Cybersecurity is of great importance in the modern age. 

2. Improving Internet Speed And Affordability

Bangladesh’s internet speed may have improved over recent years but it is still a far cry from being world-class. According to the Speedtest Global Index, Bangladesh ranks 90th in mobile speed out of 108 nations and 100th out of 159 nations in fixed broadband speed. 

Furthermore, these speeds don’t come at a low cost to the consumers who pay steep prices for sub-par connectivity. According to a report from Surfshark VPN in 2022, the internet in Bangladesh was 6.9 times more expensive than the global average. The costs have only gone up since then. 

The government needs to fund better infrastructure to provide speeds that justify these costs. Alternatively, they could find a way to subsidize companies to reduce costs. In a digital world, we can’t fall behind in these terms. 

3. Reducing The International Skill Gap 

A report published by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies forecasted that this industry may face a labor shortage of 0.44 million in 2025. However, a bigger concern is that workers have a long way to go if they want to catch up to international standards. 

They are lagging behind in coding, programming, and general problem-solving skills. What’s more, the workers lack expertise in rapidly growing technical areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. On top of that, English language proficiency also proves to be a challenge in this industry. Talented individuals fail to work with international clients purely due to their inability to communicate. 

To combat this issue, the IT ministry must work hand in hand with the education ministry to maximize digital literacy. Only through education and training can workers in this industry hope to be competitive. 

4. Tackling Digital Divide 

Decentralization has to be a priority for the new government as each and every industry in Bangladesh sees a massive lack of development in rural areas. 

According to a report, only 37.1 percent of the rural population have access to the Internet. This level of disparity is concerning, especially for a growing nation. 

Improving network infrastructure and digital literacy in the nation’s poorest regions is a must. It is the key to making sure that no one is left behind. We are only as strong as our weakest link and this statement stands true for the IT industry as well. 

5. Weathering The Storm of Economic Instability

Last but not least, this new leadership needs to deal with the instability that will hit the economy because of the previous governance’s exit. Even before this unexpected change, the economy was on a downward spiral. IMF’s $4.7 billion loan is both a gift and a curse to a nation facing rising inflation rates and currency depreciation.  

Providing 2% of the nation’s total GDP and seeing steady rapid growth, the IT sector was thought to help heal Bangladesh’s financial woes. Unfortunately, the industry itself has been hit by economic issues. Many companies may lose their standing in the industry due to the recent political turmoil. Furthermore, the nationwide internet shutdown resulted in a loss of at least $1.2 billion in revenue. 

To solve all the issues, investment is needed and without a prospering economy, getting the funds for that investment will prove to be difficult. The ailing economy will only complicate issues for this growing industry.

Bangladesh’s future is marred by uncertainty but it isn’t one devoid of hope. The government has a chance to rectify the errors of the previous administration and usher in an era of digital prosperity. Through the right policies, the dream of a Smart Bangladesh can stay alive.