<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The under-construction Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park is now on the final stage of creating employment opportunities for around 14,000 youths, both male and female, in Rajshahi.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Director of the "Establishment of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park" project Engineer Fazlul Haque said 88 percent work of the park has so far been completed on an average.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are two portions- Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Building and Sajeeb Wazed Joy Silicon Tower- in the park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The construction of the Sheikh Kamal IT Incubation and Training Centre was completed around two years back, while the Joy Silicon Tower is now at the final stage, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Haque said10 companies have so far been allocated spaces in Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Building, while seven others in Joy Silicon Tower.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He mentioned that the park has started becoming an employment hub for youths creating an enthusiasm among the young generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At present, around 400 youths are engaged in various works, including software development, site maintenance of famous companies and file works as per demand from abroad, generating working atmospheres in the park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Afroza Arbi Tusi, who is working in Fleet Bangladesh, said she has got chances of developing her career living in Rajshahi with her family members.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I was very much anxious about developing my career during university life and always thought about going to Dhaka for career development,” she said while talking to BSS here on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She added that the Bangabandhu Hi-tech Park has become a blessing for her as it has created scopes of building careers for many youths interested in the IT sector.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Tech Rajshahi’ has been working to deliver services related to mobile games and other software.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mahfuzur Rahman, Chief Executive of the organization, said they have 142 workers and 28 of them are working in the hi-tech park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the location of the park along with its modern facilities has enhanced the brand value of his institution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chief Executive Officer of ‘MD Info’ Monzurul Murshed said they have got spaces in Joy Silicon Tower and Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Building.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They have around 1,000 workers and 150 of them are working in the office as ninety-five percent of the workers are the residents of Rajshahi, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Project Director Engineer Fazlul Haque said that the park has been built on around 31 acres of land in Nabinagar area adjacent to Rajshahi metropolis along the bank of the River Padma with involvement of around Taka 335.51-crore aimed at establishing knowledge-based IT industries together with ensuring an area-based development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The infrastructure development works include land development, a ten-storey silicon tower in the area of 2.70 lakh square feet, a substation building, internal roads and drains, boundary wall and high-speed internet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 62,000 square-feet IT Incubation centre with an energy-efficient state of the art office building has multipurpose training facilities, high-quality start-ups, rainwater harvesting and renewable energy sources.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, a 172-seat Star Cineplex opened at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park on January 14 last.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Side by side with showing cinema, the Cineplex will be used for the purposes of project training and audio-visual by the entities concerned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Engineer Fazlul Haque said there is also a provision of the Cineplex for showing video documentaries to the investors from both home and abroad besides an auditorium.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the silicon tower will have multipurpose facilities including two basement parking floors, high standard training, seminar and conference rooms, rentable office spaces and a lounge and recreation area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All sorts of business environments were ensured for attracting investors from both home and abroad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a whole, the park will contribute a lot towards establishing a knowledge-based IT industry in Rajshahi side by side with creating a business environment through attracting domestic and foreign investors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will also play a significant role in the national economy through creating opportunities for new IT entrepreneurs besides creating employment scopes, experts hoped. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>