IT industry set to take off on global market: industry people

Bangladesh’s software and information technology-enabled services industry is set to take off with some companies entering the world market and a significant portion of the local market getting readied, industry people said.
Industry output, however, remained insignificant in two decades and entrepreneurs said businesses were earning the capability to cater to clients at home and abroad.
‘The industry has come to a take-off stage now,’ said Safquat Haider, a director of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services.
He also referred to BASIS Softexpo 2010, which ended on Sunday, where several dozen Bangladeshi technology enterprises put on display the latest versions of their programs and IT enabled services.
Many local software houses are now successfully developing world-standard financial solutions and business applications, Safquat said. ‘There are not many such cases, but local companies have talented people to develop GIS and advanced ERP solutions and telecommunications software.’
Anisur Rahman Khan, senior marketing manager at the Leads Corporation, said a significant portion of the local market was getting readied and enterprises had also matured to offer world-standard solutions.
At least four local banks are running their core operation with solutions developed by the Leads Corporation, said Anisur, who has been in software marketing for more than decade and a half.
He said banking software developed in Bangladesh had a hard time fighting the software developed abroad, especially in India, although local solutions were cheaper, Anisur said. ‘Bankers now have understood that local solutions are dependable.’
Bangladesh’s software and ITES export amounted to only $33 million or Tk 230 core in 2009. The domestic software market was estimated worth less than Tk 500 crore. Local solutions account for less than a half of the market.
Mannujan Nargis, director at the Rave Systems, said internet telephony or IP solutions such as switching, billing, byte server operation and mobile VoiP dialers developed in Bangladesh were selling well on the world market.
She said her organization had a presence on the European market and dominance on the Middle-East market with several IP operation management solutions.
‘One of our solutions is fighting a solution of global majors like Fringe of Israel,’ said Nargis, who sees operation of her company’s office in Singapore.
Mashuk Rahman, managing director of the Skynet Digital Private Limited, told New Age about half a dozen Bangladeshi companies were catering to overseas clients of advanced image editing services.
Skynet’s image editing service called PixArt Studios employ 45 Bangladeshi digital artists who work with critical Photoshop tools for colour correction, soft layer masking, and image etching and stitching.
‘It is just arty manipulations on photos which have tens of millions of dollar worth global market,’ Mashuk said. ‘India and the Philippines earns tens of million of dollars by sourcing image editing services to clients abroad.’
Annisul Huq, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, feels Bangladesh’s software industry was warming up to take off.
‘Many global importers are still unaware that software and solutions are developed in Bangladesh,’ Annisul said, adding that this is a major barrier for Bangladesh’s significant presence on the European market worth several billion dollars.
Annisul owns a software development house, employing some 80 engineers, which serves foreign clients with enterprise resource planning and solutions.
‘The government should spend on local software and the Intellectual Property Rights Act should be implemented,’ he said.
He also said the government should invite globally renowned software companies to set up production facilities in Bangladesh.

Courtesy of NewAgebd