Bangladesh's youth are rewriting the nation's story through their enthusiasm to build a better nation. With a rapidly growing ICT sector, young innovators are transforming dreams into digital realities.
Young people are at the heart of this digital revolution. A vibrant and tech-savvy youth population is driving innovation and entrepreneurship in the ICT sector. From developing groundbreaking apps to leading cutting-edge startups, Bangladesh's youth are making their mark on the global stage.
The ICT sector in Bangladesh is a dynamic force, rapidly transforming the nation's economy. The number of internet users has skyrocketed in recent years, creating unprecedented opportunities for young people to harness their digital skills.
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) the number of internet users nearly tripled from 6.5 percent of the population in 2013 to 18.02 percent in 2017. Adding to that, Bangladesh ranked 147 of 176 on the ITU’s ICT Development Index 2017, an occasional report that captures the level of ICT development.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) puts total internet subscribers at 131 million as of December 2023, of which 13 million use broadband connections while the rest are mobile internet users. With a growing number of tech hubs and incubators emerging across the country, Bangladesh is becoming a fertile ground for youth-led ICT initiatives.
The ICT sector, excluding telecommunications, employs approximately one million professionals, while ICT exports are estimated to be worth over $1 billion. The sector's rapid growth has created a demand for a diverse range of skills, from software development and digital marketing to cybersecurity and data analytics.
The ICT sector of Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing sectors of its economy. ICT has been declared as the thrust sector by the Government. Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), the apex body for promotion of all kinds of ICT activities in the country, works under the Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology. Through programs like coding workshops, mentorship schemes, and digital literacy campaigns, young people are not only acquiring technical skills but also developing essential qualities such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership.
The Bangladesh ICT Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.83% over the next five years. Bangladesh's growing emphasis on digital technology, cyber security, artificial intelligence, robotics, healthcare, and IT is significantly driving the market's growth.
Apart from that, as appreciation of achievement Bangladesh won the World Summit on Information Society Prize from ITU and Global ICT Excellence Award form World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA). In addition, Bangladesh scored 62.00 points in the recently published 'ICT Development Index 2024' by the specialized agency of the United Nations, while the average score for the lower middle-income countries was 64.80