SOFTWARE PRODUCTS IN BANGLADESH

strength of this sector. Software sector of Bangladesh, now growing at an average rate of 12-13%.There are nearly 360 active software manufacturers.

3.2 History and IT in Bangladesh Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), this association of software companies of the country was instituted in 1997, since then BASIS playing a pivotal role in shaping up the industry. Association’s member include large, medium, small, national and foreign companies who together are responsible for developing 96% of the country’s software production. This indeed proves the success of BASIS as a responsible and acceptable body. Technological fineness has always been the highlight of the software industry.  According to a recent research done by the San Antonio-based research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan Inc., the call center outsourcing market reached $19.5 billion in revenues in 2005 and is likely to reach $20.1 billion in the course of 2012.  Bangladesh's software industry will become a $500 million export earning sector by 2013- 2014 fiscal year (July 2013-June 2014) if the current trend of robust growth continues  Bangladesh fetched over $14 million from export of software in the first five months of the current 2008-09 fiscal year. The country set $30 million of software export target for the current fiscal year after the sector earned $24 million in 2007-08 fiscal year, which was only $2.24 million in 200001 fiscal year.  Sector insiders said the country's new government's dream to make digital Bangladesh by 2021 will also help local software industry to grow as it is expected to provide more budgetary supports like tax and duty cut to woo more investment in the IT sector.