Having all but given up on the recent gymnastics of the Bangladesh government, my dampened spirits were truly uplifted to read that we are at last on the brink of signing up the international optical fibre consortium SEA-ME-WE4! Like the Bashar-Whatmore Tigers team, this news has given us reason to smile in this gloomy times. The benefits derived from the technological advantages of a faster and cheaper optical-fibre based national telecommunication backbone integrated with all the major international centres of finance, trade, business, education, science, engineering, technology and healthcare, to name but a few, are simply enormous in the context of Bangladesh's unique geographical, social and economic needs. I am hopeful that the powers that be will also examine the cost savings derived from hanging optical fibres from power lines for deploying inter-city networks. A better ICT infrastructure constructed around a robust state-of-the-art fibre based telecom network has the potential to make our country (a) work smarter, (b) enjoy efficient less costly -- government, (c) be guided by a well informed population, (d) produce high quality jobs and educate citizens to fill them, (e) pave the road away from poverty and (f) promote life-long learning. Needless to say, this is not a magic pill, nor an alternative to other development investments, but if applied in conjunction with those initiatives, ICTs are a crucial enabling factor for development in Bangladesh. Moving from red-tape to results will require sweeping changes which would take time and need partnerships between local and central government, this industry and other development agencies. (Interested readers can browse an online article located at http://www.-betelco.com/bd/bdstel/index.html for a detailed discussion).
I dream of a day when the gigantic but cheap labour-force in Bangladesh will be intimately connected through this 'tunnel of light' to their high-salaried product designing counterparts located elsewhere; we can then play a productive and lucrative role in the ever expanding massive manufacturing market and emulate the success of the ASEAN nations. Today I feel that dream is a step closer  thank you and congratulations to all those who made it happen. In the years to come, people will be indebted to their resolve and hard work.
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