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IT leaders rap banks

Software makers complain banks neglect local products

Star Business Report
Local software makers yesterday came down hard on banks for choosing software of foreign firms over the local ones although local firms were able to provide necessary services.
They also alleged that local software companies are deliberately kept away from bidding by a "string of irrelevant conditions developed by donors".
"Local banks go to buy foreign software when they use automation on a big scale. This kind of attitude by the local banks ultimately threatens the local software industry," said Habibullah N Karim, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).
The software makers voiced concern over the "dull business" in the local market at a roundtable on "Banking Software in Bangladesh: Problems and prospects", organised by BRAC University, in association with BASIS, in Dhaka yesterday.
On the point of disqualification in bids invited by the banks, BRAC University Vice Chancellor Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury said: "Sometimes local banks invite bids in such a way so that the local firms cannot participate in them." He urged the local banks not to drive away the local software makers 'deliberately*.
Professor Zafar Iqbal said: "We should encourage our local industry. Why should we worry about the expertise of the local software makers in providing required solutions to the banks when our youth
works with Microsoft?"
Presently, most state-owned banks use locally developed software.
Software makers alleged the state-owned banks, too, seemed to opt to install foreign
software spending huge amount of money although they do not get immediate trouble-shooting services in case of emergency.
The bankers on the other hand blamed the software makers for 'inadequate functionality' to run the bank by a single software.
The software makers differ.
"This is simply not true. We can build any interface and it is proven," said Shaikh Abdul Aziz, chief executive officer of Leads Corporation Ltd, a software-making firm.
KM Rahmatullah, managing director of Infinity Technology International Ltd, said: "We are fighting the global giants to get orders from international market. And even global importers are also satisfied with our products. Unfortunately, we can't convince our local people."
"The money the banks offer us, compared to their offers to foreign software, is irrational," said Borhan Uddin, managing director of Desktop Computer Connection Ltd.
Siddiqur Rahman Chowdhury, chairman of Agrani Bank, said: "We have to change our perception that only foreign companies can provide good things."