If this trend continues, he says, this sector will overtake the readymade garment sector in export earnings.

The RMG sector, worth $20 billion, is Bangladesh's largest export revenue earner.

The Awami League had stressed the importance of the ICT sector after it came to power five years ago. Joy, an ICT expert based in the US, had taken charge.

 He got involved in government programmes for this sector as the information and communications technology adviser to his mother, ruling party President Sheikh Hasina.

Joy discussed the Hasina government's ideas and plans for this sector in a meet on Tuesday. The Awami League has formed the government for the second consecutive term through the general election held on Jan 5.

At the meeting - titled ‘Policy Cafe with Sajeeb Wazed Joy on ICT’ - held at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka to prepare an ICT guideline, he promised that fibre optic cables would reach every Union Parishad by 2018 to provide Internet services.

Hundreds of experts, professionals and young entrepreneurs attended the meeting organised by the Centre for Research and Information (CRI).

Asked what kind of initiatives would be taken in the next five years for the ICT sector, the prime minister’s son said his target during the past five years was building a knowledge-based society. “Now we have made huge progresses in digitalisation, infrastructure, IT education and IT skill development.”

He said the country would now have to use all that as a base to move forward.

“Export earnings from this sector were $23 million when we started, but now its $200 million. We will maintain this growth rate and I hope it will be $1 billion in the next five years.”

Joy said IT industry development and export development would be given high priority in the coming years. “The IT industry will cross the earnings of the garment sector if its earning rate is maintained.”

“We will stand out as an IT economy and IT outsourcing destination. IT export eventually will exceed other exports. This is my plan, ambition.”

“We will be able to make quick progress once the software industry is established.”

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) President Shameem Ahsan at the meeting said manpower export in ICT sector had risen to 250,000 in the last five years.

Government and non-government initiatives were helping young entrepreneurs in getting loans at low interest rates, while road shows were being held in various countries to boost marketing, he said.

Ahsan also mentioned installation of an IT Park in Janata Tower in the capital and a HI-Tech Park at Kaliakoir in Gazipur.

Regarding bringing changes to the National Information and Communications Technology Policy 2009, Joy said, “There is no harm in formulating the policy a little later. I’m emphasising fast implementation. Policy can be revised again and again if necessary.”

“Our goal is to go forward. Bangladesh will prosper until the day Awami League is in power.”

“Computers were introduced in government offices instead of typewriters when we formulated the ICT Policy, and that’s why we did not want to devise a high -evel policy. We created ICT Policy which is implementable.”

Asked whether he had any cause for frustration despite the progress made in the last five years, Joy said, “Of course, there are frustrations, but we have made significant progresses in services and digitalisation.”

“But I did not take a step on implementing the plan to take fibre optic cables to Union (Parishads across the country) in last five years. It can be done in next five years.”

He said his goal in last five years was digitalising government offices and he planned to keep a sharp eye on the ICT sector in the coming years.

“Discussions with entrepreneurs were held, I got myself informed of what training will be effective, and training on mobile apps is going on currently.”

He continued, “Right now, Bangladesh is in the third spot in freelancing. However, most of the freelancers don’t have the policy for marketing. But they are being trained in business cases so that they can make progresses in the business.”

E-commerce entrepreneur Sadequa Hasan Senjuti said: “Cooperation is essential for local companies to advance. Measures have to be taken to facilitate foreign payment through PayPal.”

“IT is a knowledge and expertise-based sector where there is good opportunity for foreign investment,” she added.

Joy said mobile banking was needed for monetary transactions inside Bangladesh and PayPal for taking foreign payments.

He said Bangladesh fulfilled all the criteria to qualify for the introduction of PayPal services but the authorities of the international online money transfer agency were not interested in the market here.

“Pressure is being put on them (PayPal). We’re still waiting for PayPal, but we need not do so. We can tie up with MasterCard or Visa Card or we can develop our own e-system.”

Entrepreneur Mir Shahrukh Islam said Bangladesh Bank had virtual credit card. He suggested introduction of a system by which they could transfer money.

Joy said: “We’ve introduced a system during our previous tenure at the suggestion of the Bangladesh Bank. We’ll look into the idea of virtual credit card.”

Asked about the next initiatives for development of ICT infrastructure, he said the second submarine cable would be installed.

Joy said besides BTCL and mobile-phone operators, two National Technical Transfer Network (NTTN) companies are installing the fibre optic lines.

Dhaka University teacher Dr Mamun said seats in ICT-related disciplines had not increased. He suggested formulation of a policy for promotion of virtual education.

Google Country Representative Kazi Monirul Kabir echoed Mamun and said reforms in banking and other related sectors were also needed.

Joy, however, said: “The notion that everything has to be reformed is wrong. ‘Reform’ has been a buzzword. It’s not that Bangladesh will be America if everything is reformed.”

Asked why value-added services (VAS) policy has not been finalised, he said: “VAS is not necessary if IP (intellectual property) law is enforced properly. That’s why the process has been stopped.”

State Minister for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said ICT services had been made available to the marginal people.

He said the government wanted to build a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by 2021.