BIJF arranged a roundtable discussion Initiatives for ICT

BIJF arranged a roundtable discussion Initiatives for ICT absent in budget 2004-2005

Speakers at the BIJF roundtable discussion expressed their deep frustration over poor allocation, lack of special measures and imposition of import duties in the fiscal budget 2004-2005 proposed by the Finance and Planning Minister M. Saifur Rahman.

The government has taken no special initiative in the proposed budget to implement the promises which were made to the United Nation to minimize the Digital Divide . “Ahmedul Islam Babu, president of Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum(BIJF) said.

BIJF arranged a roundtable discussion Initiatives for ICT absent in budget 2004-2005

The government has kept no specific allocation for ICT spending in the public sector, nor does it mention any way of developing Human Resources, the observed. BIJF organized the roundtable discussion on “Proposed Budget 2004-2005: Focus on ICT sector: Held at the CIRDAP auditorium recently where business leaders, government representatives and BIJF members attended.

“Although our government mentioned that it would be using ICT as an important tool, for sustainable development of the country at the World Summit on Information Society(WSIS), the matter was not reflected in the budget,” said Abdul H Kafi, former president of Bangladesh Computer Samity(BCS).

Bangladesh Computer Samity(BCS) president S M Iqbal, Managing Director of the Flora Limited Mostafa Shamsul Islam, Ananda Computers Directors director Mostafa Jabbar, Daffodil Computers director and Ex- BCS president Sabur Khan, ISPAB president Akteruzzaman Manzu, BASIS vice president TIM Nural Kabir, Editor of the Aurthonity Jahiduzzaman Faruk, Editor of monthly Computer Jagat Golap Munir also took Part in the discussion.

Source: Daily Prothom-alo, Ittefaq, Daily Star, Independent(June 18, 2004)