I visited Sylhet and Dhaka recently which gave me the opportunity to observe at close range how the environment in Bangladesh was conducive to bring to reality smart opportunities the 21st century brings to its doorstep.
After all what are smart cities? Urban areas where technology and data collection are used to help improve quality of life and ensure sustainability and efficiency of city operations where information and communication technologies (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) and other smart technologies are used by local governments for transportation, energy conservation and infrastructure. The more a city incorporates these technologies to update its systems and structures the smarter the city becomes!
State minister for post, telecommunication and information and communication technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, on Thursday said that the government had been working to build Rajshahi as modern, time-fitting and smart city.
‘Around a decade ago, we had many dreams but now we see that many of those dreams have been materialised. Preliminary, it was very challenging to finish the works but as a result of farsighted development policies of the government we have achieved success,’ he added.
Read more: BD: Govt working for building Rajshahi as smart city: Palak
The 400-year old capital city Dhaka now ranks among cities with the worst air quality. Once its lifeline, the Buriganga is dying, and surrounding rivers are polluted and encroached. Despite big problems though, small interventions might be able to make it more liveable
If an architect is given a blank sketch paper to draw their dream version of a modern city, they may outline residential, business, school, hospital, office areas with spaces marked for parks, lakes, wide roads with pavement, and bicycle lanes. The design might be one of a zero-carbon smart city with clean air and water, integrated transport and utilities.
Read more: BD: Dhaka: What a city needs to have to offer a better life
Smart City 2.0 represents the next phase in the evolution of urban development, characterized by integrating advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and overall quality of life within a city. Building upon the foundations of the initial smart city concept, version 2.0 places a stronger emphasis on innovation, data-driven decision-making, and community engagement.
This evolution involves the seamless integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and sustainable practices, to create urban environments that are not only technologically advanced but also inclusive, environmentally conscious, and economically vibrant.
The political landscape of Bangladesh has been marked by the ambitious vision put forth by the Awami League (AL) in its election manifesto for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election. Central to this vision is the transformation of the nation into a “Smart Bangladesh” by the year 2041. This futuristic concept draws inspiration from the smart city concept popularized by IBM, aiming to create a high-tech, advanced country where digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are seamlessly integrated into various aspects of economic, political, and cultural life.
Read more: Assessing Awami League’s manifesto towards building a Smart Bangladesh