BASIS demands IT business-friendly budget

The Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) has demanded an IT business-friendly budget.

It, however, welcomed the proposed budget for tax exemption on cloud service, system integration, e-learning platform, e-book publications, mobile application development service and IT freelancing till 2024.

In a virtual press conference on Saturday, BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir demanded a reduction in the tariff rate of cyber security software.

He also demanded allocation of Tk 300 crore for IT women entrepreneurs.

Almas Kabir said the budget did not explicitly mention the creation of women IT entrepreneurs.

Some Tk 95,000 crore has been allocated for education and technology but there was no clear indication about the IT sector, he said.

The BASIS president also said there was no specific instruction in the budget to create skilled manpower in the IT sector.