Local mobile software developers can now get a slice of the lucrative Android app market after Google allowed merchant registration from Bangladesh for its Play Store.

Google Play Store is the official app store for the Android operating system, the most used mobile operating system globally.

Until now, local developers could only offer their apps for free on the Google Play Store, making do with only the revenue generated from the ads baked into their apps.

But thanks to Google's move on Tuesday, they can now register paid apps on the Play store and in so doing, better monetise their efforts.

The development comes after Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT, held a series of meetings with Google for the last one year.

“This will take the industry one step forward,” he said yesterday.

The move is expected to create 2 million jobs and bring in $5 billion in foreign currency by 2021, according to Palak.

“Now our local developers can compete with the global players on the same platform, which will ultimately help to boost the industry,” he added.

About 5,000 youths were currently engaged in mobile app development and they have posted about 3,500 apps on the Google Play Store, all downloadable for free, according to industry insiders.

One developer said some of his peers earlier opened merchant accounts in other countries and subsequently faced huge challenges in bringing their earnings into Bangladesh.

Rashad Kabir, managing director of Dream71, a leading app developing company, said he had opened his account in Australia, which was in some ways a source of discomfort. “Now it will be easy for me to do business and the risks have been reduced too.”

“The global app market is currently worth more than $42 billion and a door has been opened for our few thousand developers to enter this market,” said Ashraf Abir, managing director of MCC Ltd, a leading mobile app and games developer.

At present, the export of ICT and information technology-enabled services brings in about $600 million, according to Kabir.

“This number will jump as all the sector's earnings would now be coming through the direct channels,” he added.

The government too is looking to make the most of the latest Google move.

It is aiming to grab one percent of the $42-billion global market by 2021.

For that end, it has taken up the Skills Development for Mobile Game and Application Project at a cost of Tk 281.97 crore. Under the project, mobile app and game development institutes will be set up across the country by 2018.

Some 525 trainers, 8,750 app developers and 2,800 game animators will get training under the project. Marketing and content experts will also be given advanced training.

About $100 million worth of mobile apps are purchased from Bangladesh every year, according to top market leaders.