India, Bangladesh target students' 'digital divide'

Syed Tashfin Chowdhury:

India and Bangladesh have launched their own brands of tablet and laptops, at unthinkably low prices.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched Doel, a brand of netbooks and laptop that will be manufactured entirely in Bangladesh, on October 11. Distribution will reportedly start this week. They will be available from 10,000 takas (US$131), according to the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency.

"This is a big step towards building a digital Bangladesh," Mohammad Ismail, managing director of state-owned Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (TSS), which is in charge of making the gadgets, said following Doel's launch. At present, 90% of the laptop equipment is imported, "but within six months we will be able to produce 40% of the components," he said.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at October 20, 2011 1:53 AM
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