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Monday, 8.07.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has urged new generations to excel in the use of information and communication technology to help build Bangladesh free of poverty and unemployment.

"Our aim is to get our new generations used to tapping technology," Sheikh Hasina said, inaugurating a convention of ICT-related experts of Asia, 'E-Asia 2011' at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in Dhaka on Thursday.

She added that if the young generation receives proper education on information technology, it will play a role in creating jobs at home and abroad.

Read more: BD: Excel at ICT use: PM

In line with the digitisation plan of the government to ensure access to ICT, 36 government offices have gone into full automation under the Support to ICT Taskforce Programme of the planning ministry, officials said yesterday.

The programme had 40 projects which included the automated 36 offices.

“We have already handed over the completed 36 projects with four components - hardware, networking, web portal and training,” said project director of the Support to ICT Taskforce Programme Proshanta Kumar Chakraborty.

Read more: BD: 36 government offices now fully automated

“Our vision is to make Bangladesh digital in 2021.”

The quote is from the Election Manifesto of the Awami League, elected to office in 2008 with Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's first president, becoming prime minister. The pledge sounds appealing but how do you make it happen especially in this South Asian nation of 167 million (IMF 2011) where bureaucracy, lines and hassles for citizens are ingrained. Change is starting to come through the Access to Information Programme or as it is widely known, A2I. This United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supported project is led by the national director, the energetic M. Nazrul Islam Khan, Secretary to the Prime Minister. Mr. Khan is zealous in his desire to reduce hassles for ordinary citizens through the application of ICT to government services.

Read more: Going Digital in Bangladesh

The official launching of the first Bangladesh-assembled laptop "Doel", named after the country's national bird, has suddenly opened up the vista of limitless possibilities. Laptops and notebooks -also computers of lower capabilities, when made available to people, particularly to students from an early stage, can bring about a sea-change in the dissemination or spread of information and knowledge. Sure enough, the first condition is to acquire the aptitude and skill for e-literacy to have access to the wide world of information and knowledge. So, mere production or setting up of an assembly line is no guarantee for digitalising education, administration and social connectivity. There is a need for mastering the skill for handling the technology well and coming in terms with the flow of information and using the most relevant sets from it.

Read more: Towards a digital Bangladesh

The World Bank will provide $ 195 million soft loan to establish a secure, accurate and reliable national ID system in Bangladesh.

The credit will be disbursed under 'Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services Project'. The goal of the project is to introduce e-governance in government bodies to combat corruption and provide more efficient services.

The Election Commission Secretariat will implement the project from July 2011 to June 2016.

Read more: BD: $195m WB loan for nat'l ID system

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