Page 61 - IBT December 2020
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mentoring and access to finance which   Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury:                            development by accelerating financial   since 2015. When we started    government health facilities.                         devise laws regarding venture capital. I   tech companies in the world.   present. Therefore, it is essential to
                                              were non-existent when we started.   It has made every aspect of the                         transactions. Consequently, the ICT    providing health services through   Shastho Batayon also provides                     would request the government to create   However, the curriculum requires   train the workforce in cybersecurity
                                              They are also providing seed and    services more efficient and accessible.                  sector has produced new avenues in     cell phones, it was not         mental health services and has                        policies that would entitle startups as   to be upgraded to keep up with the   to avert social engineering attacks
                                              growth-stage funding which will enable   Due to the introduction of Online e-Tin             business by ensuring seamless          acknowledged by the World Health   been successful in bringing back                   intellectual property and incentivize   demands of the international   besides having robust security
                                              the growth of promising local ICT   Registration System, an individual                       transactions. Therefore, since its     Organisation; we had to create our   more than five hundred people                    their funding through banks.            market. The academia-Industry   planning.
                                              companies. The government's goodwill   can complete the verification and                     implementation in 2009, digital        protocols by initiating the project   from the brink of suicide. The                  Bangladesh's rapid economic growth is   partnership should be made
                                              in automating the public and private   certification process within minutes.                 Bangladesh has been pivotal to our     ourselves. Further research and   quality of health service is                        enabling it to assist improvised        mandatory to assimilate the youth   What is your vision for
                                              sector of the country is the core   ICT has taken government services at                     economic growth by ensuring            development over the years have   enhanced when counselling is                        nations. Our government may             into the workforce. There needs to   Synesis IT over the next
                                              strength of our ICT sector.         your doorsteps. Higher government                        efficiency, transparency and           brought where we are at the     developed. Mobile health service                      incorporate technical assistance to the   be an emphasis on creating a   decade?
                                                                                  [olicy makers have always directed                       competency.                            moment.                         has proven a useful supplement to                     loans and provide opportunities to local   workforce specialized in the ICT
                                              Synesis IT has designed some        ICT companies to design citizen-                         Secondly, development in the ICT       In the pre-pandemic times, we   the physical health infrastructure                    ICT companies to work in foreign        industry's crucial aspects. We have   Rupayan Chowdhury:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Our immediate goal is to come into
                                              of the Bangladesh                   centric e-services in a way that it                      sector has enabled the growth of       used to receive 10-12,000 calls per   of the country.                                 countries. It will pave the way for     noticed that even highly trained   IPO by 2020-21. The reason behind
                                              Government's most valuable          eliminates the necessity of people to                    competent local companies. For         day amounting to 4000-5000                                                            increased software exports for          engineers who join our company   this is we want to be a respected
                                              digital services like the           visit government offices.                                example, numerous developing           e-prescriptions per day. Otherwise,   What are the obstacles                          Bangladeshi companies. Finally, our     often lack soft organizational   organization globally. A significant
                                              Central biometric Verification       We (Synesis IT) created Online GD for                    countries, including Nepal, Srilanka   these patients would have sought   (infrastructure/policy)                            educational system needs adjustments    skills. The lack of communication   portion of our IPO will be used to
                                              and Monitoring Platform             Bangladesh Police which enables                          and Myanmar, are now contemplating     in government medicals          that might impede the                                 to ensure a skilled young workforce     skills (customer               strengthen our R&D and develop
                                              (CBVMP), Online e-Tin               people to enlist their lost/stolen items                 implementing Electronic Tax            exhausting its resources.       growth of our ICT sector?                             compatible with the demands of the      engagement/email) among fresh   our AI and Deep learning programs
                                              Registration System, and            with authorities virtually. It has made                  Identification Number (e-TIN), paving   In the post-pandemic world, we   What kind of government                             modern ICT industry. It will enable ICT   graduates is baffling; therefore,   on par with our global
                                              Online GD. How have these           the entire process efficient and more                    the way for Bangladeshi IT companies   have service in partnership with   assistance can help to                             companies to convert new entrants into   there needs to be special courses   counterparts. Our desire to lead the
                                              platforms changed the way           accessible than ever before. Similarly,                  to earn foreign currencies. Tiger IT,   the ICT division (a2i), "COVID-19   overcome those hurdles?                          professionals more efficiently.         designed to increase soft skills,   industry in Bangladesh has
                                              people receive government           CBVMP has successfully eliminated                        another Bangladeshi IT company, is     Medical Centre", it is a unique                                                       Can you please share some               especially among engineering   compelled us to come under IPO.
                                              services?                           crimes committed through mobile                          one the leading creators of the        innovation by SYNESIS IT and the   Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury:                                                                  students. A combination of core   Concurrently, Synesis IT wants to
                                                                                  phones in the country. Therefore, the                    biometric identification system in the   government. Our system stores the   Firstly, the government needs to                information about                       and communication skills is    become one of the leaders in
                                                                                  ICT sector has enhanced the reliability                  world is already exporting their       data of every COVID-19 patient and   evaluate implementing two                        TenderBazar with our                    essential for being successful in
                                                                                  and transparency of government                           software to numerous countries.        creates a risk profile by following   policies. Firstly, the procurement              readers?                                the ICT sector.                e-governance in the global market.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               We want to replicate our success in
                                                                                  services in the country.                                 Subsequently, we (Synesis IT) are      up with the patient through call.   policy should be drafted in a way                 Rupayan Chowdhury:                                                     Bangladesh in other developing
                                                                                                                                           currently working with a mobile        Later, our doctors follow up with   which makes it mandatory to use
                                                                                  We often hear about the                                  regulatory and identity solution,      every patient based on their risk   locally produced software. Despite                TanderBazar was established to          In recent years,               nations and earn remittance for our
                                                                                  possibility of replicating the                           which will be headed to export soon.   profile. The system is ensuring   the availability of competent local                 improve the accuracy and transparency   Bangladesh has become          country. Our vision is to establish
                                                                                  success of RMG with the ICT                              Therefore, a handful of local IT       that patients have access to expert   software companies, financial and               of the tendering process. We aimed to   one of the most                ourselves as a leading ICT company
 How crucial is the role of                                                       sector? How can the ICT                                  companies have the potential for       medical advice while maintaining   business entities across the                       ensure that entities have access to the   vulnerable countries in      globally and contribute
 government in the advancement                                                    sector facilitate rapid                                  significant income generation for the   social distancing regulations while   country end up using foreign                   tenders relevant to their industry.     cyberspace with frequent       significantly to the
 of the sector?                                                                   growth?                                                  country. It will also help generate    reducing the stress on the      software. The government should                       TenderBazar is currently the leading    attacks on our financial        knowledge-based industry.

 Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury:                                                        Rupayan Chowdhury:                                       employment for the educated young                                      incentivize using local software to                   tender portal in Bangladesh, and more   institutions. What is the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        than 95% of the ICT sector are members
 If we evaluate the history of ICT development   RUPAYAN                          One of the primary reasons for us to                     population. Hence, the ICT sector will                                 boost the industry and save                           of TenderBazar. Previously, tenders     path towards ensuring a        Any last comments on the
 across the globe, the political will of the   CHOWDHURY                          invest in ICT was to utilize the                         contribute significantly to ensuring                                   valuable foreign reserves. It can be                  could not be provided within a day,     secured                        ICT sector?
 respective countries has been an essential   CISA,                               abundance of intellectual resources to                   economic growth, more efficient                                        in the form of tax benefits for                       TenerBazar has made it possible within   cyber-infrastructure?         Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury
              Group Chief Executive O cer
 component. Due to residing in the country for   Co-Founder                       add value to the knowledge industry.                     services and better employment                                         using local software or                               12 pm on the same day. Also, we have    Rupayan Chowdhury:             We (Shohorab Ahmed and Rupayan
 the last year, I had the opportunity to study   Synesis IT Limited               ICT development in a country can be                      opportunities in the coming years.                                     implementing high duties on                           ensured a 100% accuracy of the process   As a practising professional in the   Chowdhury) started Synesis IT with
 the growth of its ICT sector. Government                                         looked at in two ways. Firstly,                                                                                                 imported ones. Despite the                            throughout our existence. We have built   domain, I think the security   considerable financial constraints.
 commitment has been crucial for developing                                       digitalization is mandatory in                           The inadequacy of our                                                  preference of local software from                     our name with quality, accuracy and     system is required to be adaptive   At that point, we had no income or
 the country's ICT sector, which is the                                           ensuring quality services in                             health problem has always                                              our top government officials, the                     competency and will continue to thrive   to be effective. The crucial aspect   a place to sit. But we thought very
 fifth-largest in the world.  Luckily, our current                                developing countries. For example,                       been one of the most                                                   eligibility criteria of the tender                    as the market leader in the sector.     of it is planning, the objective and   highly of our company and even
 government has continued to deliver on its                                       our Electronic Tax Identification                        pressing issues in our                                                 process are often unfair to local                                                             risk of the process have to be   compared ourselves with the
 mandate announced in 2008. After "Joy                                            Number (e-TIN) system allows                             country. How can                                                       companies and require                                 Are you satisfied with the               well-coordinated. Organisations   Microsoft Corporation. That high
 Bangla", "Digital Bangladesh" has been the                                       individuals to obtain their tax                          digitalization help improve                                            re-assessment. The revision of the                    skill level of our current              have to understand that ensuring   ambition and desire to become the
 most pivotal slogan for our country. The                                         certification within five minutes as                     the quality and capacity of                                            procurement policy incorporating                      workforce in the sector?                cybersecurity depends more on   best in the world is still existent
 proliferation of the internet has transformed                                    opposed to 7-15 days before                              the sector? Can you please                                             the constraints of the local                          What can be done to ensure              planning rather than procuring the   among us, and I believe that desire
 the country. It has ensured access to                                            digitalization. It is a giant leap                                                                                              companies will help in saving                         the proper skill development            latest technologies. Therefore, they   is our company's core strength. Our
 information and services at a minimal cost for                                   towards ensuring transparency,                           share some details about                                               foreign currencies, making                            of our youth?                           have to be context-sensitive rather   dream has consistently been to
 Bangladeshis across the country at a                                             competency and efficiency, which has                     SYNESIS IT's involvement in                                            software more cost-effective and                                                              than copying others. Adequate   become a compliant, ethical and
 proportion unimaginable a decade ago.                                            been made possible by the ICT sector.                    the health sector?                                                     most importantly, ensure the                          Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury:               planning with proper risk analysis   respected company in the world.
 Political will has enabled digitization of every                                 Concurrently, mobile financial services                  Rupayan Chowdhury:                                                     security of crucial public data.                      The answer regarding skill level is     and adaptive contingency       My suggestion to the young
 sector in the country and enabled services like                                  (MFS) has been outstanding in                            Currently, SYNESIS IT is the largest                                   Concurrently, the government has                      paradoxical. The top public and private   measures should be the core of a   entrepreneurs in the ICT sector
 National Payment Switch and Real-Time Gross                                      improving the socio-economic                             telemedicine and e-health company in                                   initiated the much-needed venture                     universities in Bangladesh produce      cybersecurity strategy.        would be to keep passion and
 Settlement in a decade. Moreover, the                                            condition of rural Bangladesh by                         Bangladesh. Our platform provides                                      capital fund and startups and are                     highly skilled graduates capable of     However, the weakest link of a   honesty at the core of your growth
 Bangladesh government has taken a terrific                                       facilitating the flow of money from                      99.5% of the mobile health facilities                                  being developed at a satisfactory                     working anywhere in the world.          security system is human. Social   strategy. We firmly believe that to
 approach through StratUp Bangladesh. It is                                       urban workers. Digitization has                          available in the country. We have                                      rate. To my knowledge, the                            Graduates from top universities are     engineering attacks are the    succeed in the sector, one needs
 transforming our startup scene by facilitating                                   played an essential role in economic                     been involved with Shastho Batayon                                     authorities are in the process to                     frequently being hired by the biggest   primary mode of cyberattacks at   passion and persistence.

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