BASIS and SICIP Sign Contract for Development of World-Class IT Skills

The Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and the Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Program (SICIP) have signed a contract related to training initiatives. The contract was signed on Tuesday at SICIP’s head office at Eskaton Garden, Dhaka, by BASIS President M Rashidul Hasan and SICIP Executive Program Director and Additional Secretary Mohammed Walid Hossain.

Under the contract, a total of 3,000 individuals will be trained over the next four years, with the project to be supervised directly by the Ministry of Finance, and completion scheduled by 2028.

Among those present at the event from BASIS were President M Rashidul Hasan, Vice President (Finance) M Asif Rahman, Director Mir Shahrukh Islam, and BASIS-BITM Training Coordinator Khaleda Begum. From SICIP, the event was attended by Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Majumder, Secretary of the Finance Division and National Program Director (NPD) of the Ministry of Finance, Additional Secretary and Deputy Executive Program Director (Program Management) Md. Mahfuzul Alam Khan, along with other senior officials from SICIP.

Speaking at the event, BASIS President M Rashidul Hasan stated, "Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a cross-cutting sector. It is not limited to any specific industry but acts as a strong foundational support across various sectors. Additionally, the ICT market is rapidly changing.

This program is designed around frontier technology-based courses, which are crucial to building skilled manpower for the future in the global competitive market. I am confident this initiative will open new opportunities for the IT sector in the country. Through this, our companies will contribute significantly to the national economy with increased competence in frontier technologies."

SICIP Executive Program Director Mohammed Walid Hossain, in his speech, praised BASIS for its strategic course selection, stating, "Through the SICIP project, we aim to create skilled and innovative human resources that will further strengthen Bangladesh’s competitive position in the global IT sector. We are highly optimistic about this partnership with BASIS."

This contract marks an important milestone in equipping Bangladesh's youth with skills, increasing employment opportunities, and advancing the country’s position in the global IT industry. However, SICIP is a project managed by the Ministry of Finance in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).