Local-made laptop to be available by June

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/02/25/news0701.htm

Local-made laptop to be available by June
BSS, Dhaka

The Telephone Shilpa Sangstha, the state-run telecom industrial unit, is going to strike a deal with Malaysian TFT company to manufacture laptops in joint venture and market the product in the country at a cost of Taka 12,000 per unit only.

Telephone Shilpa Sangstha Managing Director Ismail Hossain said international tenders were invited for manufacturing laptops in the country.

Four local and overseas companies took part in the tender.

The foreign companies were from Malaysia and China.

Ismail Hossain said the tender documents were sent to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for scrutiny of the technical sides.

As the recommendation of the BUET, the Malaysian company was picked up for the job, he said and added that a letter would be sent to the TFT of Malaysia in a day or two seeking details of its offer. After getting the offer letter, an agreement would be signed and the laptops are expected to be marketed by June, he said.

Telephone Shilpa Sangstha sources said there are preparations to manufacture 10,000 pieces of laptops per month. Most of the raw materials of the product would be procured from Bangladesh and a few would be imported.

The Malaysian TFT company would give technical assistance and the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha would manufacture laptops independently gradually.

Post and Telecommunications Ministry sources said the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha did not have any production for the last 12 years. Therefore, the number of staff was reduced to 260 in 2007 from 525.

The present government has taken initiatives to make the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha functional and manufacture land-phone sets. Initiatives are also on to manufacture digital metres, mobile phone battery charger and laptops.

Post and Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said his Ministry has taken various measures to implement the government’s plan of building a digital Bangladesh.

As part of this, he said, initiatives have been taken to manufacture laptops, mobile phone sets and other equipment.