The government has taken an initiative to set up three state-of-the-art technology centres (TCs) and one specialised design and technology centre (DTC) with a view to boosting industrial productivity, said an official of the commerce ministry. The ministry will establish the centres under its ongoing flagship project titled ‘Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J)’. “We will establish the technology centres to accelerate the country’s economic growth,” an additional secretary of the ministry told the FE on Sunday. He said the government has taken the move to facilitate diversification of exportable goods, ensure sustainable development and create better job opportunities. To push the plan forward, the commerce ministry will sign a lease agreement with the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) on July 21 to get lands for the technology centres, he said. The BEZA will allocate 10 acres of land while the BHTPA some 4.04 acres of lands under the agreement, he added. Commerce minister Tipu Munshi will join the virtual signing ceremony as the chief guest. Private Industry and Investment adviser to the Prime Minister Salman F Rahman and state minister for information and communication technology (ICT) division Zunaid Ahmed Palak will attend the event as special guests, with commerce secretary Dr Md Jafar Uddin in the chair.
