Among those, $800 million export earnings in the sector, the launch of emergency helpline 999 and a visit by Sophia, the world’s first robot citizen, set the pulse racing.

Bangladesh also observed National ICT Day for the first time this year.

The ICT Division took a slew of initiatives throughout the year to inspire the youths to play a role in building a ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
By the end of the year, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak broke the good news that the annual export earnings in the sector neared $800 million, which was only $26 million when the Awami League came to power for a second time in 2009.

The government plans to bolster the sector’s growth through policy improvement within two to three years, push annual export earnings to $5 billion and generate 2 million jobs by 2021.

Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park in Jessore began its journey to take the fruit of the sector’s expansion to the southwest region.

Fifty-five firms, two of them Japanese, have been allotted spaces in the park. A floor has been kept only for start-ups.

The government believes the software park will be the key to raising the export earnings in the sector.