| STRENGTHS | WEAKNESSES |
| There is a substantial number (actuals not given) of educated unemployed youth force, with the ability to read and write. | Hartals (non unionized labor disputes) occur on a regular basis that prevent people from working, or even leaving their homes |
| IT professionals are going to other countries, thus promoting Bangladesh's IT capabilities | Bangladesh really need IT professionals in the country, to develop the IT landscape within the country. |
| Universities are increasing the number of graduates in computer related fields | These numbers are not at the governments required minimum |
| For attracting foreign IT investment there are tax and tariff holidays | Bribes and other start-up costs are huge |
| Hardware platforms necessary for IT development are available | Bangladesh lacks the money to purchase large amounts |
| IT (programing) is a very labor intensive task; Bangladesh is highly populated | Only 50-60% of the people are literate, and programing requires literacy |
| Profits from international IT companies can be repatriated, provided the necessary paperwork and procedures were done correctly | In a highly corrupt and unorganized country like Bangladesh, this task of translation can be very time, money, and patience consuming |
| Over 4 million telephone subscribers. That's only 3% of the population! | The most people are incredibly poor. Costs to build probably outweigh the benefits of attacking the untapped market. |
| Non profit organizations (WB, ADB) are donating money to companies that pose bids for improving the infrastructure | It takes a lot of work. |
| New IT industries, like cellular and high speed services are unregulated because the technology is beyond government know-how to regulate | Privatization of current IT industries (like telecom) is at a standstill |
| The demand for computers and peripherals is booming at 20% | Little hardware is manufactured in bangladesh, thus there are heavy transportation costs for new equipment |
| ISPs are forming at a incredible rate | None provide secure browsers for e-commerce, and many servers have connection or other problems |
| The government is pushing software development by issuing reports, hosting trade shows and anti piracy campaigns, and posting virus warnings | Piracy is a big issue and viruses run rampant. People don't protect their computers. Not even the computer retailers! |
| The government is re-writing their piracy laws | Paper changes do not always cause people to change |
Last updated December 18, 1999 by Anjali Phukan