The technology world is changing little by little every day. Along with this, our software sector is growing. Expanding our local market. Once we did not have the courage to dream in this emerging sector of the country, now it is slowly showing success. Many small and big software companies of the country are now working with domestic and foreign companies. Our own software is being exported to different countries of the world. Along with that, the domestic software market is also developing a strong position. Apart from private institutions, government institutions are now using country-made software.

Currently, our local software market is much more stable than before. With changing times, software companies are trying to meet the needs of the local market by facing various adverse situations. If local companies did not provide the products that are being made and supplied to the domestic market, then we would have to buy foreign software for at least thousands of crores of rupees a year. There are endless possibilities here. It is necessary to utilize this potential through proper planning.

In 1998, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) was established as the national organization of this sector with the aim of developing the software and information technology services industry in the country. Although there were only 18 member companies at the time of establishment, currently the membership of BASIS is around 2500. For more than two decades, our local software market has been going through various hurdles. If these obstacles can be overcome, the software sector will be a bigger source of income than the garment industry.

Liaquat Hossain, founder and chief executive officer of Babylon Resources Limited, said these words in a private conversation with Techworld Bangladesh recently. The current state of the local information technology sector, the weak side of the software market and various suggestions to overcome it came up in the discussion.

Regarding the current picture of the local information technology sector, Babylon Resources Limited Chief Executive Officer Liaquat Hossain said that there have been many changes in the country's local software market over the past two decades. Now the membership of BASIS is about 2500. There are more than 1000 small and large software and IT companies in the country. More than 70 thousand IT professionals are currently working in these companies. The size of this sector is about US$ 550 million. Most of the IT companies are doing website development and content creators, data processing and software maintenance and most of the companies are working in the local market of the country. However, big companies are working on various plans, implementation, e-governance and e-learning for the benefit of the country.

This technology lover, who has worked in the country's information technology for two decades, expressed his opinion about some weak aspects of the local software market. He said, there are many software companies in our software sector who are making international and quality software. Their service quality is no less than foreign software companies. However, the authorities of the big multinational corporate companies of our country usually do not want to use large enterprise solutions made in domestic technology to manage their company's activities. Spending money and buying software from abroad. It is on the one hand a matter of mentality, our belief that foreign things are good. They cannot trust their own software. Many feel that customers do not get the quality after-sales service they should get after buying software from a local company. After-sales service is very important after software deployment. Another important issue is the lack of professionalism in service delivery. We have some weakness in this area. The reasons behind this should also be considered.

The IT entrepreneur feels that there are many more opportunities to introduce our IT products to people internationally and across the country. He said, people's confidence in the country's products will come only when people will truly know how good software is being developed in our country. Our service products are being used in some countries of the world. Propaganda. In this case there is a considerable lack of proper branding of local goods and services. The software developed in our local market is being used in different countries and continents of the world. But few know it. What kind of software is made in this country, what are we good at, what services and products of the country have more comparative advantage in our country. Proper branding is required to communicate these to people.

Referring to the thinking of our local software companies, this chief executive officer of Babylon Resources Limited said, our local software companies feel that they do not get the opportunity to work with large multinational corporate companies. Because customers don't trust them. Because of that they cannot prove their own capabilities and competence. For good reason, many software companies in the country have long been applying to the government and private multinational corporate companies to work together. Government has always been a big buyer of software businesses. The government in that place has always been interested in buying foreign software to run its institutions. However, the current government has mandated the purchase of local software along with foreign software in many software procurements. But we have not got any positive results from them yet. But there is a possibility.

This information technology entrepreneur gave some suggestions for the development of local software industry. He said, the first thing to do for the development of our software industry in the local market is to gain the trust of the buyers. Besides, the demand of foreign software service products should be well researched and such international quality software should be made. After sales service should also be provided and ensured accordingly. Also creating skilled manpower in this sector is very important. Therefore, we need to focus on developing skilled manpower through joint initiatives by the public and private sectors. And the businessmen of this sector have to manage them properly and acquire the ability to utilize their talent. Along with the development of human resources, its proper management is also important.

Regarding the reality of entrepreneurs in the software sector of the country, Liaquat Hossain said that various types of entrepreneurs are working in the software sector of the country. The number of small and medium is more. The biggest problem of these two types of entrepreneurs is lack of adequate finance. If they have educational qualifications, skills, finance becomes an obstacle to realizing their specific dreams. Even if there are various financial support and incentives from the government, it is not possible to implement any big project. So finance is needed to work on any big project. Without a good budget, it is not possible to provide the necessary services for that project. This requires the availability of capital.

Referring to the demand of the time to create complete information for the development of the software sector, this information technology lover also said, how many software companies are there in the software sector of our country. What kind of software is being made by any company, how many software engineers are working in which company, how many software are being used by any organization in the country, how many government and non-government organizations are using it, how much is the price of any software, how much is exported abroad, how much is the foreign income, these Our organization does not have any accurate information on the matter. So no one gets a clear idea about the software market of the country. This information is very important for the development of a sector.

Emphasizing on the MRP policy of software price, he said, another thing is that in our local market, each person has a different price to make the same type of software or website. There is no MRP (Maximum Retail Price) policy. Some 20 thousand taka, some 40 thousand taka. Someone else took 80 thousand taka. Again, their website and software after sales services cost similarly different amounts. An MRP policy is not followed at this point. This is what we should do. There will be a public price list. Customers can also buy the software of their choice as per the company's working standards.

In the software sector, this information technology entrepreneur laid emphasis on the creation of standards for quality control of software made with domestic technology. According to him, everyone is making their own software in the local market. But there are no exact criteria to check what makes it quality. As a result, what is being made is being sold to the buyer without any verification. In this way, the international standards that a successful software needs to be maintained are no longer maintained. Developed world countries have software quality control standards. These things are carefully considered. Here BASIS can do the job of creating quality control criteria. Quality control policies can be implemented to maintain the quality of any software.

He said, I think, for the development of the local software market, it is necessary to develop its own capabilities, as well as to create skilled manpower. Local software companies need to gain customer confidence in their competence. An organization should also be institutionally capable and strong. In combination with these, when an international quality software will be made institutionally from an organization, it has to gain the trust of the buyers through proper promotion. In this place, everyone should come together. Here the role of the base is important.

Information technology lover Liaquat Hossain also said that even though I can personally understand these problems in the software sector, it is not possible to solve them alone. Because it involves our overall interest. Where everyone from individuals to the government has their own responsibility. Therefore, a concerted effort is needed to solve these problems. Whereas organizationally, each member and government has a distinct role. The participation of the information technology sector is important in the program undertaken by the government to build a smart Bangladesh by 2041. Therefore, in this grand action plan of the government, the opportunities and possibilities of the information technology sector should be utilized. In this regard, the role of organizations is important. So a collective effort is needed. It is possible to eliminate these problems in the local market with mutual and sincere cooperation and solidarity in setting government policies. Organizationally smart leadership is very important in this regard. Here the leader has to understand how much to collect from the government and how to collect. Along with that, he should understand how much the organization will work here or how much progress will be made in the realization of demands.

The chief executive officer of Babylon Resources Limited also said, "We want to work together in this area." I strongly believe BASIS has enough skilled and qualified members who, given the opportunity and support, are capable of producing world-class products. The job of a competent leader will be to recognize our talented entrepreneurs, their work, their achievements. Help to move forward and also the government needs to convey the right picture of our software sector. We need to understand our capabilities and realize the necessary benefits. Also, attention should be paid to creating skilled manpower. These tasks should be done jointly by the government, software sector and academia. And in order to do this work, organizational leadership and leadership development are required.

He said, I personally think that many members of our base are capable and experienced in providing suitable solutions to these problems. It is my intention to take help and cooperation from among the members of our base who are competent and competent and the whole group together with the government to come to terms with the government. As an active member I would like to see BASIS as a viable and respected commercial organization.