DHAKA, Feb 1, 2023 (BSS) - Minister of State for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak today said that IT freelancers and entrepreneurs will be the driving force in building an innovative and knowledge-based smart Bangladesh.

"They will play a important role in building the country quality based and smart, and to achieve this goal, equity investment funds from 5 lakh to 5 crore Taka are being provided from Startup Bangladesh Limited of the ICT department," he said.

Palak said this as the chief guest at a distribution programme of laptops and certificates among the selected 318 successful freelancers trained under the Learning and Earning Development Project of Dhaka District at Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Auditorium.

He urged the successful freelancers to work with the goal of creating employment for other youths besides their own employment by utilizing the power of training and technology.

Mentioning that there are six and a half lakh freelancers in the country he said that if successful freelancers can become entrepreneurs with their experience and skills, millions more young entrepreneurs will be created.

"The youth of our future smart Bangladesh will not look for jobs but will create job fields," he said, adding, "If the educated youths of the country can become IT freelancers or entrepreneurs by making them skilled in technology education, they can earn billions of USD in remittances.

Learning and Learning Development Project has been implemented with this aim.

"Prime Minister's ICT Adviser Sajib Wazed Joy asked to emphasize on four areas namely microprocessor designing and manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics and cyber security to create a workplace suitable for the fourth industrial revolution," he said.

ICT Department Senior Secretary NM Ziaul Alam and Additional Secretary of ICT Department spoke, among others.

Later, the state minister distributed laptops and certificates among the successful freelancers.