Govt’s outlines 5 priorities for ICT sector

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Post, Telecommunication, ICT, Science and Technology Rehan Asif Asad on Sunday outlined the government’s five priorities for ICT and telecom, a designated thrust sector.

The priorities include consistent and forward-looking policies under a five-year tax framework; improved mobile and broadband connectivity; Digital Public Infrastructure; development of AI-ready talent; and promotion of electronics manufacturing.

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The adviser noted that the telecom sector currently faces an effective tax burden of 51-56 percent, compared with a global average of 22-27 percent, and stressed the need to remove the SIM tax.

He also highlighted the need to improve mobile and broadband connectivity, noting that Bangladesh ranks seventh globally in terms of subscribers but lags significantly in service quality. On Digital Public Infrastructure, he proposed a “One Citizen, One ID, One Digital Wallet” system based on Estonia’s X-Road platform, which would be offered free of cost, with every ID connected to bank accounts and the National Board of Revenue.