10,000 new programmers a year: PM.....................

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina says her government will do everything in its power to produce 10,000 skilled computer programmers a year, said.

"IT education will be made compulsory at secondary level by 2013 and at primary level by 2021 to build a technologically sound generation for a better tomorrow," said Hasina at the launch of the BCS Digital EXPO 2009 on Wednesday.

The prime minister said the 21st century has heralded new challenges as well as opportunities.

"We have to beat the challenges by making IT opportunities accessible to all."

"We dream of celebrating our independence's golden jubilee in 2021 as a digital Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy," said Hasina.

She said the government is determined to fulfill its election pledge of a 'Digital Bangladesh' through formation of e-governence

The prime minister said priority must be given to exporting technologically skilled workers, redesigning education policy and curbing extortion and 'tender-terrorism'.

Hasina said she was aware that the power crisis was one of the major hurdles for development of the ICT sector.

Criticising the past elected government for corruption in the power sector, she repeated her government's vows to solve the power crisis.

"But it will take time," she said.

She urged representatives from the sector to give the government policy suggestions for a 'Digital Bangladesh'.

Organised by the Bangladesh Computer Samity, the inauguration of the expo was presided over by BCS president Mustafa Jabbar and attended by commerce minister Faruk Khan and state minister for science and information technology Yafes Osman among others, at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Centre.