Despite the government's pro-digital approach, 54 percent rural households in Bangladesh do not have access to internet, a new study shows. And experts fear this 'digital divide' could hinder e-governance progress.
According to the research findings unveiled today, 59 percent in rural households do not have access to a smartphone and 49 percent have no access to computers.
Read more: 54% Bangladeshi rural households lack internet access: survey
To become a developed nation by 2041, we need to adapt to the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Over the last few decades, the decline in fertility and mortality rates in Bangladesh and subsequent increase in the working-age population (15-59) considered as “demographic dividend” relative to the dependents (0-14 and 60+) offer the country an opportunity to accelerate economic growth.
Tech giant IBM will help a Bangladesh government agency in harnessing the power of blockchain by modernizing the country's digital pension system.
Tech conglomerate IBM has joined the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), Bangladesh’s IT government agency, in an initiative to build a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) digital pension system for teachers, the firm said in a blog post on 12 June.
Read more: IBM To Work On DLT-Based E-Pension System For Teachers In Bangladesh
Bangladesh has slipped four notches down to 119th position in the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) that measures the position of a country in terms of provision of online services, telecommunication connectivity and human capacity.
Despite a downward move in ranking of 193 countries, Bangladesh has scored 0.5189 in the index that is higher than 0.4862 secured in the 2018 edition of the EGDI, according to the report.
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday called upon the universities and the University Grants Commission to take effective measures to contribute in building a Digital Bangladesh.
‘I urge the universities and UGC to take effective steps for the rapid implementation of the Integrated University Information Management Platform, including the introduction of e-governance courses in universities, to build a Digital Bangladesh,’ he said at the closing ceremony of a workshop at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Read more: President asks UGC, univs to contribute to build Digital Bangladesh