THE growing use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) through the assistance of informatics can help improve the quality of government services. It can also help institutionalise management systems that reduce the scope for rent-seeking activities. What is more important about ICT is that it can strengthen information flow among government agencies and within the private sector and civil society. The country is facing a host of governance challenges, including corruption, malaise in public administration and lack of adequate transparency and accountability in the exercise of public decision-making power and the delivery of public services. Such problems have created a growing interest in practical reform initiatives. eGovernance holds significant potential as a tool to assist the government of Bangladesh in achieving its governance reform objects.
eGovernance is basically designed to improve the efficiency, responsiveness, transparency and accountability of the government. Common applications of eGovernance include online delivery of government information and services, computerised licencing and registration, web-based tender notification, procurement etc. It also aims to streamline relationships between government, business and citizens through effective use of ICT. While a few government institutions in Bangladesh have advanced eGovernance initiatives beyond basic applications, the country as a whole is still at the nascent stage of its implementation.
Various studies show that eGovernance is no longer a matter of choice or debate for the countries that are eager to improve standard of public services and decision-making. The key policy considerations are not issues of technology but rather of political resolve. In Bangladesh and other countries of Asia, eGovernance has brought about important transformations in the manner in which the governments operate and provide services to the citizens and businesses. A time may come in the not-so-distant future when 'e' in eGovernance will lose its significance, since the primary mode of government service delivery will be eGovernment. Today the most crucial point is not whether or not to adopt eGovernance, but rather how it can be most effectively implemented.
eGovernance makes decentralisation of government services and decision-making easier, since data stored in digital format can be updated and accessed from virtually any office under a network system. It also helps to boost private sector performance and efficiency by reducing the time and expenses required for businesses to interact with the government. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are particularly benefited with simplification of official processes and services such as online procurement. That helps to reduce barriers to entry for new businesses and, thus, increase competition. eGovernance has already become a much-talked-about issue. The National ICT Policy gives due importance to the issues thereof, declaring that 'the government shall use ICT systems within the public administration to improve efficiency, reduce wastage of resources, enhance planning and raise quality of services'.
To realise such goals, an ICT taskforce has been formed and the ministry of planning has already launched a 'support to ICT taskforce (SICT) programme in order to ensure access to information by every citizen to facilitate empowerment of people and enhanced democratic values and norms for sustainable economic development. However, the potentials of eGovernance is heavily dependent on the establishment of an affordable and broadly accessible ICT infrastructure to deliver online services. With the recent step, Bangladesh is setting the stage for the gradual proliferation of eGovernment services throughout the country. Under the SICT programme, several ministries, and government departments have undertaken major eGovernance projects. These include Dhaka Passport Office under the ministry of home affairs, the ministry of education, ministry of ports and telecommunications, the department of agricultural marketing under the ministry of agriculture, ministry of expatriate welfare and overseas employment. Many other government offices are also in the process of implementing vital eGovernance initiatives. By the end of 2004, the government of Bangladesh is likely to achieve significant progress in this connection.
While implementing SICT project in various ministries, studies show that virtually all the eGovernment schemes suffer from inadequate advisory, management and maintenance supports. In view of this, the government should give high priority to stabilising a unit within or outside government that will provide these services. It is important to recognise that the personnel in this unit will have to be paid salaries higher than the official rate. It is true that the government often does not have adequate technical, managerial or financial resources to venture into eGovernance on its own. For sustainability and strategic planning of eGovernance, it is important that the government enters into partnership with the private sector. Many government officials feel uncomfortable with the such an idea. This attitude should be changed. The private ICT sector in Bangladesh has successfully advanced towards a mature stage in recent years. There are several ways in which the financial, managerial, and technical strengths of ICT companies can be judged. The government and the development partners should explore ways in which they can partner with the private ICT sector to achieve sustainable eGovernance.
For online eGovernance to be accessible to all potential users, it is important for the government to invest resources and introduce necessary policies to extend ICT (Internet and telephone) facilities throughout the country. The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) should take steps to reduce the cost of ICT in order to make it affordable for a wider section of population.
As the scope of eGovernment services expands, the enactment of cyber laws is becoming increasingly essential. Some of the issues to be included in the legal framework are laws to protect intellectual property; laws for acceptance of documents in electronic format; cyber-terrorism laws that protect against unauthorised hacking and laws to enable electronic authentication.
In Bangladesh, a tradition of secrecy in public administration prevents the free flow of information on public policy, regulatory reforms, or other matter of public interest to the members of the business community and the general public. Such archaic laws that preserve a culture of secrecy should be abolished paving way for a freedom of information act. Such law will ensure citizens' participations in public decision-making. The government will then become more responsible and less arbitrary.
Autor: Shahiduzzaman Khan
Quelle: The Financial Express, 18.07.2004
