Bangladeshis mould war-ravaged South Sudan's Internet services

Kamrul Hasan established IPTEC Ltd, an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training and service provider, in South Sudan in 2011. The African country had just achieved independence that year following a prolonged and devastating civil war.

The newly born nation required investments to establish its digital infrastructure. And the Bangladeshi entrepreneur, originally from Patuakhali, adeptly seized the opportunities.

In 2012, Kamrul Hasan, in collaboration with two retired Bangladeshi army personnel and another individual, established Fast Network, an Internet service provider – the first Bangladeshi ISP company in South Sudan. By 2014, Kamrul sold his shares in Fast Network and initiated a separate ISP venture, transforming his initial company, IPTEC Ltd.

Subsequently, in 2016 and 2017, two additional ISP companies – Smart Network and Juba Network Company Ltd – led by Bangladeshi entrepreneurs commenced operations in the African nation.

Today, these four entities collectively dominate the ISP sector in South Sudan, commanding 50% of the market share and generating an annual turnover of around $15 million. The combined workforce of the companies comprises around 250 individuals.

Entrepreneurs say there are currently 36 registered ISPs in South Sudan. However, around half of these companies are in operation.

"There were doubts about how safe it is to invest in a new country, where no infrastructure was developed. Bangladeshi officials working here in development agencies and peacekeeping missions have encouraged us since the beginning," said Kamrul, the managing director of IPTEC Ltd.

"Many Bangladeshis have become entrepreneurs after coming to South Sudan as job holders. Bangladeshi companies are currently doing well," he added.

Kamrul's journey in South Sudan began even before the country's independence. In 2010, he worked as a project director on a telecommunication project in the country under a Poland-based company, Try Com.

"We helped to develop the telecommunication sector, establish fibre optics, international gateways, and data centres, assisted in the establishment of telecommunication companies, and formulation of policies for ISPs in South Sudan," Kamrul told TBS.

"In different countries around the world, Bangladeshis are working as labourers or in less important positions. But here the situation is different. We are working at important positions," he added.

Kamrul joined the Polish company after taking a degree in Computing and Information System from London Metropolitan University, UK. Prior to joining Try Com, he briefly worked at a company in Dhaka named Daffodil Online.

The ICT sector infrastructure in South Sudan is still below par. Less than 8 lakh people in the country of 11 million have access to Internet services. Due to high costs, there are very few individual Internet users in the country, with the majority being institutional subscribers.

Bangladeshi entrepreneurs note that the situation in South Sudan mirrors that of Bangladesh 15-20 years ago.

Entrepreneurs highlight that subscribers in South Sudan have to spend $150-$200 per month to access the Internet at a speed of 1Mbps.

"Bandwidth came here after crossing two countries – Kenya and Uganda. Consequently, the expenses are significantly higher. Additionally, machinery needs to be imported at a considerable cost, contributing to the overall high operational expenses," said Sohel Mohammed Abdullh, chairman of Juba Network Company Ltd, another Bangladeshi entrepreneur in South Sudan.

Sohel graduated from the Department of Computer Sciences and Engineering at Premier University in Chattogram. He began a contractual job with an ISP company in South Sudan in 2012 after working for a local ISP company. In 2014, he transitioned to working as an IT consultant for a bank in the country. Finally, in 2017, he founded Juba Network Company Ltd.

He further said, "Earlier, Internet service relied on satellites, resulting in slower Internet speeds. Our efforts have led to the deployment of fibre to the Ugandan border, and a network with towers has been established along that border road."

"Currently, we are using various modern technologies, leading to a noticeable increase in the speed of the Internet," he added.

Kamrul Hasan said, "The lack of funding hindered infrastructure development. Subsequently, the government handed over the entire sector to the private sector."

Kamrul Hasan was selected as the 2023 Commercially Important Person (CIP) by Bangladesh in recognition of his contribution to the country's economy. He was chosen in the category of "non-residents who remit the most foreign exchange through legal channels."

Additionally, Sohel Mohammed Abdullah, originally from Chattogram, was awarded the "Chamber Quality Award-2023" from the South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture.

As of January 2023, South Sudan's population reached 11 million. At the beginning of the year, there were 7.73 lakh Internet users, 4.70 lakh social media users, and a total of 3.58 million active cellular mobile connections in the country, according to a report by DataReportal.

Bangladeshi businesses thriving

Following a prolonged civil war, a peace agreement was signed in 2005 between the two parts of Sudan. Subsequently, South Sudan embarked on the path to attain separate nationhood. Members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces participated in the UN peacekeeping mission in this region, while the Bangladeshi development agency BRAC engaged in development efforts in this underdeveloped African region.

Moreover, many individuals holding key positions in various development organisations and the United Nations were Bangladeshis. Since then, the environment has become highly conducive for Bangladeshis, with entrepreneurs and experts from Bangladesh actively contributing to the country's technology sector from the beginning.

Since 2011, Dr Mahmudul Islam, a Bangladeshi researcher, has been serving as a senior policy adviser at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in South Sudan. He told TBS, "Bangladeshi companies are thriving, contributing significantly to the country's technology sector. They are currently vying for market leadership."

Entrepreneurs say Bangladeshis are diversifying their investments beyond the information technology sector in South Sudan, venturing into hospitality with investments in hotels, motels, and resorts.

Additionally, they are engaged in businesses such as supermarkets, importing and selling various products. Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are also exploring opportunities in the construction industry in the country. Notably, products from the Bangladeshi company Pran-RFL have been exported to South Sudan by a retired army officer since last year.