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1
 A TERM PAPER
ON
DIGITAL BANGLADESH

SUBMITTED TO:
Md. Shamsuzaman

Lecturer, Department of CCE

Faculty of Computer Science &

Engineering.

Patuakhali Science & Technology

University.

SUBMITTED BY:

SYNERGY
Level: 2, Semester: I

Faculty of Business Administration and

Management.

Patuakhali Science & Technology University.

Date of submission: 01-08-2010

2
 SYNERGY
CREATES EXISTING SUCCESS

NAME & Email ROLL REG. Remarks

Arafat-bin-Sultan
(arafat_ah@hotmail.com) 47 01917

Md. Saiful Islam

(saifulbba.pstu@gmail.com) 12 01874

Md. Rezaul Haque

(rezaulpstu@yahoo.com) 44 01914

Md. Jewel Hossain

(jewelpstu@yahoo.com) 20 01882
Md. Arif Mahamood
(arifpstu@yahoo.com) 35 01904
Md. Mostak-Al-Mamun
(mostak.mamun@gmail.com) 29 01896

GROUP LEADER: Arafat-bin-sultan

CONTACTS: 01722599047

3
 DIGITAL
BANGLADESH

4
The philosophy of Digital Bangladesh
comprises ensuring peoples democracy
and rights, transparency, accountability,
establishing justice and ensuring delivery
of government services in each door
through maximum use of technology-with
the ultimate goal to improve the daily
lifestyle of general people. Governments
Digital Bangladesh includes all classes
of people and does not discriminate
people in terms of technology.

5
Letter of Transmittal

August, 01, 2010

Md. Shamsuzaman

Lecturer, Department of CCE

Faculty of Computer Science & Engineering.

Subject: Submission of the Report on DIGITAL BANGLADESH.

Dear Sir,

At first with humble respect, we are starting our report transmittal letter.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to prepare this report under your guidance. This has been a
great opportunity for us to study the ins and outs of the Digital Bangladesh. We have
successfully completed our analysis of the garments sector. This report summarizes our
arithmetical analysis and assesses the overall scenario from statically point of view.

We must mention here that we were extremely grateful to you for your valuable guidance,
tiresome effort, and constant attention as and when required.

We shall be pleased to answer any sort of query you think necessary as now and when needed.
We would like to draw your attention particularly on the matter that there are always spaces for
clarifications of any relevant topic. We are always available to share the pleasure of discussions.

Regards
________________
Arafat Bin Sultan
BBA Program (Group: SYNERGY)
Level-02, Semester-01
Faculty of Business Administration and Management.

6
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the very beginning of the repot we express our heartily gratitude for almighty ALLAH.

Then we want to give our great thanks and cordial respect to our honorable course teacher Md.
Shamsuzaman, Lecturer, Department of CCE, Faculty of Computer Science & Engineering,
Patuakhali Science and Technology University, who assigned us to prepare this report Digital
Bangladesh and helped us with his support, encouragement and expertise knowledge.

We are also highly grateful to those people we interview about our topics. Especially we are very
highly grateful to the interviewees, because without their kind permission and special co-
operation we couldnt able to complete this report successfully.

All of our batches mates, elder brother of BBA 5th batch have contribute a lot. We are also
grateful to our classmates who provide useful suggestions, books help to use internet, pen drives
etc.

Arafat Bin Sultan

Group Leader

On behalf of the Group Synergy

Faculty of Business Administration & Management

7
 Table of contents

No. Topic Page no.

01 Abstract 12
02 Key Elements of Digital Bangladesh 13

03 Human Resource Development (HRD) 14

04 Connecting the Citizens 15

05 Digital Government for Pro-poor Services 17

06 Promised digital Bangladesh and the young generation 18

07 Digital Bangladesh Strategy in Action 21

08 Pillars of Digital Bangladesh 22

09 ICT in Business 23

10 Vital Developmental Sectors 24

11 Enabling Environment 26

12 Digital Bangladesh 28
13 Emergence of Digital Bangladesh 31

14 Digital Bangladesh: virtual dreams, real lives 34

15 Government imposes extra cost on Bangladeshis 38

17 Managing digital Bangladesh vision 2021 40

18 Digital PSTU 43

19 Findings 45

20 Recommendations 46

21 Conclusion 47

22 References 48

8
 Objectives and purpose of the term paper topic:
A clear objective helps in preparation of well decorated term paper in which other taking the
right types of decisions. Firstly the purpose of term paper is to meet up the course
requirement of Digital Bangladesh present status and challenge due to resection of the world
economy.

With the advantages of new millennium as a student of BBA program, to understand the
Digital Bangladesh is vital factors achieve proper knowledge about it. So, identifying
objectives is very much important. Our objectives of preparing this report are:

To realize the concept of Digital Bangladesh.

To analyze the term Digital Bangladesh.

To learn about the core elements of Digital Bangladesh.

To increase the knowledge about the abstracts of Digitalization.

To gain more knowledge and experience about ICT.

To identify the development in Digitalization.

To compare the digital Bangladesh & the present real situation.

9
 Limitations of the Study:

As a student of BBA program at Faculty of Business Administration and Management in 3rd

semester, we are quite experienced about making the term paper. But we are not very much
expert to make a term paper perfectly. Thus we have tried our best to prepare the report on
the mark. At the time of making the report, as the subject of term paper is new to us thus we
faced with some limitations. These are here as follows:

Lack of the facilities of the computers and internets.

Lack of getting proper information of the subject.

For the location of our university, we got some problems in finding the
information.

And finally, we did not have much idea about how to make proper use of
knowledge and time on making a term paper.

10
 Procedure of the Study:

Whatever we do in the world, we must go through some procedures or methods. While doing the
report we also follow some procedures.

This report is based on secondary data.

These methods are

Internet browsing.
Newspapers & Magazines.
Telephone contacts.

After doing all of those, we submitted the report to the proper authority.

PERIOD OF THE STUDY: From June to July, 2010.

Use of technology:

a. Computer, Internet & other technological tools.

b. MS word to process words as well as prepare the paper finally.

11
 Abstract:

Digital Bangladesh by 2021 emerged as part of Charter for Changethe election manifesto
of Bangladesh Awami League for the 9th Parliamentary Election. The declaration was made in
December 12, 2008 for the election held in December 29, 2008. Though a date is attached to this
agenda, it is interpreted as a long-term vision rather than a target. This forward-looking vision
quickly captured peoples imagination and became the cornerstone of the entire election
manifesto.

Communities rely on public services like agriculture, health, education from the government.
Hence, one of the key sub-components of the Digital Bangladesh would be provision of ICT
enabled services (e-Citizen services) by public agencies.

The key objective of the e-Citizen service sub-component is to ensure anytime, anywhere
services to anyone in need of such services at a cost that he/she can afford and in a way that is
transparent to all

The scope of DB is very wide. It is not only e-governance or e-commerce or e-banking, or

operating a country-wide mobile phone network through which one can access the daily
newspapers or other internet devices.

In fact, it is a combination of all of them. It is a country-wide application of 3G ICT to

institutionalize the best management practices in every sector and sub-sector. To make DB
happen, highest priority must be given to science, technology and management education.

Besides, to be productive, the educated people must be in good health. This means digitization
should start simultaneously with the education and health sectors.

12
Key Elements of Digital Bangladesh

Digital Bangladesh is a reincarnation of the vision of Sonar Bangla

(Golden Bengal). Hence, it may be wise to keep it as an overarching
objective rather than a conclusive target. From this viewpoint, where it
makes sense, ICTs and new technologies need to be leveraged in all
aspect of national progress of a Digital Bangladesh. Some of the key
areas in which ICT can be leveraged immediately are outlined below. [3]

13
 Human Resource Development (HRD)

Digital Bangladesh needs people who can take it forward and thrive in such a country. This
component is about the future of Digital Bangladesh and is a precondition to propel the agenda
to its final destination.

Clearly, a student who used ICT to learn will find it easier to use ICT to apply whatever s/he
learned in the Digital Bangladesh.

The key objective here is to make the best use of new technologies to build world-class skills in
all areas of study especially mathematics, science, and English language. Taking advantage of
newer and less costly delivery tools and digital learning contents the aim will be to build the
competencies needed to compete in the globalized 21st century world.

ICT for education or e-Education will also deal with providing vocational and lifelong
education opportunities to the youth and adults in order to retool them and build newer skills to
improve their productivity.

The Ministries of Education, and Primary and Mass Education have realized the potential of
ICTs in elevating the educational quality and have deployed initiatives to develop digital
materials for school education.

Realizing the inadequacies of the digital platforms in schools, especially the absence of them in
primary schools, the ministries have started with digital materials for teacher education which is
a crucial area of building the capacity of teachers who are going to build the soldiers for Digital
Bangladesh.

14
 Connecting the Citizens

Ensuring access to the Digital Bangladesh for all citizens, poor or rich, literate or illiterate, urban
or rural is another foundation stone of Digital Bangladesh.

The key objective of this component is to find a sustainable channel so that people can benefit
from all that the Digital Bangladesh would offer in a manner that s/he could easily use and
afford.

More specifically, this component will deal with

i) building awareness and capacity of the communities to access public services

leveraging ICTs,
ii) issues associated with local language content and locally relevant content,
iii) iii) Innovative access channels and platforms for common men/women, etc.

This component will also deal with establishing two-way channels to promote participation of
grassroots in policy discourse and provide feedbacks to the policy makers on particular policy
adjustments.

15
Mobile phones

Mobile phones have created a sustainable channel of communication. The use of mobile phone
based voting in to determine the best singing talent in a TV show probably represents the most
popular use of the device to reach to the poorest of the poor.

Several pilots are underway to use voice-based systems that provide required agricultural
information to the farmer. Tele-medicine, both as a tool for off-site service by medical specialist
and as a call-centre service are tried and tested in local context.

Several initiatives to develop community based and/or rural shared internet access points by both
private sector and government are underway. Already Bangladesh Tele-centre Network, an
association of private sector practitioners, has deployed many hundreds of these centers

Community radio
It emerges as another channel of communication for the poor and the marginalized. If peoples
participation in programming and management can be ensured, community radio can be a
sustainable platform for people-to-people communication and problem solving.

Low cost broadband access to the internet

is another key priority in this regard. It may be mentioned already a private company has
obtained license to build fiber optic backbone to connect all Upazilla under the Nationwide
Telecommunication Transmission Network and started pilot operation as well.

Cellular and WiMax connectivity

Policy incentive to promote low cost 3rd generation to rural Bangladesh may also be considered
as a policy priority.

16
 Digital Government for Pro-poor
Services
The two key sub-components of this component are e-Citizen Service and e-Administration to
delivery e-Citizen Services.

Unlike most developed countries, government is the key provider of citizen services and public
information in Bangladesh.

Communities rely on public services like agriculture, health, education from the government.
Hence, one of the key sub-components of the Digital Bangladesh would be provision of ICT
enabled services (e-Citizen services) by public agencies.

The key objective of the e-Citizen service sub-component is to ensure anytime, anywhere
services to anyone in need of such services at a cost that he/she can afford and in a way that is
transparent to all.

The key outcome of this component is to make sure that people, especially the poor and
marginalized, get the most out of public provisions of information and services.

In terms of specific indicators, this would mean

i) reduced number of interaction, especially face-to-face interactions, between the

service provider and recipient,
ii) delivery in a speedy and cost effective manner,

iii) Extended service availability (where possible 24x7 window), etc.

The second important sub-component of Digital Government would be e-Administration. This

sub-component would involve leveraging ICT tools to incapacitate the civil servants and
administrative processes with an explicit objective to plan, design, and implement efficient
production and delivery of citizen services.

Use of database systems at Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistic to

support effective management of the secondary schools and teachers is an excellent example of
such initiative. [1]

17
 Promised digital Bangladesh and the
young generation
The honeymoon period for the newly installed Government led by Awami League is yet to over.
The landslide victory of Awami League in the last election has given the new government of
Sheikh Hasina an enormous task of meeting peoples aspirations. Different analyses of the
electoral results have revealed that the young generation who consist of more than one third of
the voters had indeed brought this overwhelming victory for AL. With many other reasons,
implicitly it can be inferred that voters of this generation while exercising their franchise
considered party manifestos seriously. Presumably the visionary approach of ALs manifesto,
entitled a charter for change might have allured the young voters much, especially its Vision
2021 which envisions a digital Bangladesh.

Let us now explore the buzzword digital Bangladesh. What does it really mean? Moving
towards digital Bangladesh does not imply that the urban young groups of the country will be
more sophisticated consumers of high-tech devices like computers, digital cameras, latest model
mobile sets or camcorders etc. based on high-speed Internet infrastructure and promote the djuice
culture. Rather discarding this superficial notion, we need to consider the term digital
Bangladesh objectively.

Broadly speaking, a digital society ensures an ICT driven knowledge-based society where
information will be readily available on line and where all possible tasks of the government,
semi-government and also private spheres will be processed using the state of the art technology.
So, a digital Bangladesh must guarantee efficient and effective use of modern ICT in all spheres
of the society with a view to establishing good governance. In other word, making Bangladesh a
digital one, we have to establish technology driven e-governance, e-commerce, e-production, e-
agriculture, e-health etc. in the society emphasizing the overall development of the common
people, the major stakeholders of the country.

Due to globalization, more specifically due to booming of ICT like most of the countries on the
globe, Bangladesh has already been connected with the outside world. Yet in the field of ICT,
our only grand success lies in Mobile telecommunication which has brought an abrupt change in
telecommunication scenario of the country. However, in the other spheres of ICT, our
achievement is very insignificant and we are still far away from transforming ourselves into a
knowledge-based society.

Building strong ICT infrastructure is the pre-requisite for making Bangladesh a digital one. For
this, we need to focus on the following relevant issues assessing the harsh reality that hinders our
development in this context.[2]

18
a) Power deficit:
Latest statistics reveal that Bangladesh faces a power deficit of up to 2000 MW against a demand
of 5000 MW daily. It may be noted that for proper ICT development an uninterrupted power
supply is a must.

b) Network infrastructure:
Outside Dhaka, at present a few computer network infrastructures have been developed so far.
Apart from some educational institutes outside Dhaka, observation finds that most of the LAN
setups are Dhaka centric. This observation reveals the reality of the digital gap even within the
country.

c) Use of Internet:
For the ICT development Internet users of the country must be increased. In this case our
position is the worst one among the South Asian countries. The latest statistics (ITU, 2007)
revealed that Internet penetration in our country is only 0.3%.Whereas, in Pakistan and India, it
is 7.3% and 5.3% respectively.

d) Under sea submarine cable:

Since 2006, Bangladesh has been connected to worldwide Internet Super High Way through an
undersea submarine cable. But this single submarine cable frequently faces disruption resulting
in slow bandwidth.

e) Network Readiness:
Networked Readiness Index (NRI), developed by the University of Harvard, measures the
propensity for countries to exploit the opportunities offered by information and communications
technology. The NRI seeks to better comprehend the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of
nations. The NRI is a composite of three components: the environment for ICT offered by a
given country or community, the readiness of the communitys key stakeholders (individuals,
businesses, and governments) to use ICT, and finally the usage of ICT amongst these
stakeholders. Unfortunately, the latest survey (2006-7) revealed that Bangladeshs NRI ranking
is one of the lowest among the Asian countries.

19
f) Use of open source software:
Many countries (e.g. France and Malaysia) have started to use open source software in ICT
development projects for cost effectiveness. Unfortunately, in our ICT development domain the
culture of using open source has not yet been introduced.

g) English literacy rate:

From different sources, it has been learnt that, English literacy rate in Bangladesh is less than one
percent. Whereas, English literacy rates in India and Pakistan are 60% and 20% respectively.
There is a strong correlation between English literacy and ICT development in the present
context of globalization. In the arena of ICT English has become the Lingua-Franca. On the
other hand, we have not localized Bengali in the domain of computing. Hence, English literacy is
a must for our ICT development. Unfortunately, in this case our position is the worst in the sub-
continent.

Though the above accounts seem to be frustrating one, these can be easily overcome within a
reasonable span of time if we can establish good governance in the country. Since independence,
Bangladesh has been critically suffering from poor governance. Lack of vision, corruption, lack
of transparency, weak coordination, undemocratic decision making were the salient features of
our past governments. These can also be marked as the major barrier to the overall progress of
Bangladesh. However, the newly installed government which has called for changes, hopefully,
will establish much expected good governance to keep up with peoples aspiration.

For making a digital Bangladesh by 2021, the government must address the above stated issues
effectively and efficiently in transparent manners. In many cases we need to reformulate our
national policy (e.g. education policy, ICT policy) in accordance with the Millennium
Development Goals. In reformulating the ICT policy, we will need to take a pragmatic and
visionary approach so that it can curb the prevailing digital gap in the society. Moreover, the
journey towards a digital Bangladesh needs the incorporation of the technologically solvent
innovative younger generation. If the leaders of our country objectively guide this generation,
they can do wonder for the nation. After all, the young generation always looks forward and they
can help bring about positive changes in the society.

20
Digital Bangladesh Strategy in
Action
While Awami Leagues Charter for Change announced the concept of Digital Bangladesh as an
integral component of Vision 2021, the budget 200910 speech of the Honorable Finance
Minister elaborated on the concept as one of socioeconomic transformation enabled by
information and communication technologies. He in no uncertain terms debunked the myth that
Digital Bangladesh is an ICT Vision. Indeed, the revised National Strategy for Accelerated
Poverty Reduction (NSAPR) Phase II in all five of its strategies marries the elements of Digital
Bangladesh quite effectively. The 6th Five Year Plan places an equal importance to Digital
Bangladesh as part of the nations development strategy.

The ICT Policy 2009, ICT Act 2009, Right to Information Act 2009, various local government
acts promulgated in 2009 laid the foundation for identifying the Digital Bangladesh priorities for
the government. As such, a strategy document Setting Digital Bangladesh Priorities is being
drafted to integrate the goals of Digital Bangladesh with those of key development sectors to
harmonize toplevel priority setting through a participatory and inclusive Approach. The
document will identify the Digital Bangladesh priorities along three broad categories:

1) Pillars of Digital Bangladesh

2) Vital Developmental Sectors

3) Enabling Environment

This document will be available for stakeholder consultation in early March, 2010.[4]

21
 Pillars of Digital Bangladesh

In her speech on October 31, 2009, while inaugurating the Digital Bangladesh workshop for
The UNOs, the Honorable Prime Minister clearly outlined the four pillars of Digital
Bangladesh vision: developing human resources ready for the 21st century, connecting
Citizens in ways most meaningful to them, taking services to citizens doorsteps and making the
private sector and market more productive and competitive through the use of ICTs.
For each of the pillars, the strategy will, analyze the current overall situation with specific
References to relevant initiatives taken so far, identify the key success factors behind its
Progress, Specify the key challenges and untapped opportunities.

Pillars are:
1. Digital Government.
2. ICT in Business.
3. Connecting Citizen.
4. Human Resource Development.[2]

22
 ICT in Business

The final pillar of Digital Bangladesh deals with three broad issues namely access to market,
business productivity, and ICT industry for local and export markets. ICTbased market access
mechanisms will not only benefit disadvantaged producers and businesses by ensuring equitable
access to domestic and international markets but also will enable the government to establish
transparent and efficient market monitoring. The private sector including MSME will be made
more productive and globally competitive by lowering the cost of doing business through G2B
services.

Finally, the ICT industry will be supported to develop its human resource capacity and marketing
strength to compete locally and globally. The ICT industry, including the telecom industry, as
the technical partner in building Digital Bangladesh needs to be bolstered to sustain the Digital
Bangladesh concept. At the same time, the industry, especially the ITenabled services
subsector, is envisaged to be a substantial national driver for growth through export earnings
and employment of youth.[2]

23
 Vital Developmental Sectors
The goal of Digital Bangladesh is to develop ICT systems, infrastructure and human resource for
strengthening the vital developmental sectors to make a direct positive impact on the key social
and economic indicators. The sectors included in the strategy include:

1) Agriculture
2) Health
3) Land Administration
4) Local Government
5) Social Safety Nets
6) Disaster Management, Environment & Climate Change
7) Commerce and Investment
8) Law Enforcement and Judiciary
9) Parliament
10) Civil Service

For each of the sectors, the strategy will

(I) identify the existing policy goals and statements with regards to the use of ICTs towards
improvement of the developmental outcomes in the sector;
(ii) Identify the specific areas in which ICTs can play a significant role;
(iii) Analyze the progress so far with respect to innovative use of ICTs; and
(iv)Identify the strategic priorities taking into account the gaps between the potential role of ICTs
and existing initiatives that use ICTs. The following table paragraphs lists key results targeted for
various sectors.

Agriculture:
To increase efficiency and equity in the agricultural sector, improve competitiveness of
Farmers through ondemand information and knowledge, reduce exploitation caused by lack
Of market information, and enhance participation of farmers in decisionmaking.

Health:
To facilitate improvement in areas such as health administration, capacity building of health
workers, access to health information and healthcare service delivery. These include issues such
as regular reporting on disease dynamics and related interventions, monitoring of field staff,
managing epidemics, ondemand access to health information by citizens and also by fieldstaff
for better service delivery, and healthcare service delivery through telemedicine and remote
consultation networks.

Administration:
To reform land administration and expand landrelated services to citizens through digitized
recordkeeping of kalians and maps, landrelated information services to citizens in a hassle free

24
Way, land revenue management through authentic reporting and tracking of landrelated taxes,
and efficient decisionmaking regarding use of lands under government control.

Local Government:
to strengthen the functioning of local government institutions, particularly by turning them into
robust information and service delivery points for local communities, and establishing interactive
platforms to promote citizens participation and feedback.

Disaster Management, Environment and Climate Change:

To enhance efficiency in managing natural disasters, particularly in the countrys predictive
Capabilities, management of disaster and postdisaster situations through access to realtime
Information by government officials, dissemination of information to the affected, and regular
Monitoring and tracking of data relevant to assessing impact of climate change.

Investment:
to improve investment climate of Bangladesh and reduce the cost of doing business, particularly
in areas such as export and investment promotion through access to regularly updating economic
data in an easily accessible format, automated procedures related to setting up new business and
bringing investments into Bangladesh, online tender processes to promote transparency and
competitiveness.

To improve law and order situation in the country, particularly in court management covering
automated updating of causelists and hearing days, and easily accessible information services
for citizens regarding procedures and regulations regarding law enforcement and judiciary.
Crime data management covering digitized information on crime patterns, criminal records, etc.
will improve the law enforcement capacity of the government.

Parliament:
To leverage ICT platforms to improve the existing communication channels between the
members of parliament and their constituencies and enhance the quality and speed of decisions in
the parliament by establishing decision support systems.

Civil Service:
To drive continuous improvement of service delivery (Delighting the Customers), create an
environment of professional development and performancebased career movement (Investing in
People) and a culture of change management (Organizing for Adaptation and Resilience).
Spurring innovative service delivery methods, creating a knowledge management platform for
developing individual capacity and institutional memory, networking all government offices to
implement the Right to Information Act, establishing eportfolios of officers for performance
management are all examples of areas where ICTs will be used as indispensable tools. ICTs will
be utilized as the most costeffective and widespread channel for establishing a constant
interactive platform for dialogue with citizens, civil society and private sector, receiving citizens
grievances on service delivery and feedback on policy decisions, and publishing results for mass
dissemination.
25
 Enabling Environment

Some factors are key to fundamental in developing an enabling environment for mainstreaming
objectives of Digital Bangladesh into national developmental goals. The most important enablers
for realizing Digital Bangladesh includes:
1) Institutional Framework
2) Policy and Legal Framework
3) Banking and Financial Transactions
4) Delivery Channels for taking Services to Citizens Doorsteps
5) Financing Strategies and PublicPrivate Partnership Framework
For each enabler, the strategy will analyze current situation with specific focus on challenges,
while building on Progress made so far. Particular emphasis will be given on relevant lessons
learnt from other countries.

Institutional Framework:
The Prime Ministers Office is providing the highlevel stewardship of the Digital Bangladesh
agenda and strategy formulation. The National Digital Task Force, chaired by the Honorable
Prime Minister, has the responsibility for monitoring the major milestones and steering any
course corrections. The Executive Committee of the Digital Task Force and the Ministry of
Science and ICT (MoSICT) acts as the Task Forces secretariat. Bangladesh Computer Council
(BCC) under MoSICT develops the ICT Policy and ICT Act and is responsible for monitoring
the implementation. All line Ministries has responsibilities for delivering specific action items of
the ICT Policy. In this regard, each Ministry and Division has an eGovernance Focal Point
responsible for planning, budgeting, Implementing and monitoring of eservice delivery and
eadministration initiative and Coordination among the subordinate agencies. The Focal Points
are encouraged to take on new initiatives beyond what is prescribed in the ICT Policy 2009. As
far as decentralization of eservice delivery is concerned, the field administration and Local
government institutions have definite roles to plan and implement Digital Bangladesh Initiatives
coordinated by the Cabinet Division and Local Government Division respectively. The Ministry
of Establishment is playing a lead role to embed the Digital Bangladesh Agenda in its strategic
activities including the civil service reform efforts. The Election Commission is the caretaker of
the national ID card which is being explored as a potential eservice delivery platform. The
government is exploring an appropriate Institutional framework to leverage this platform for
eservice delivery and develop Necessary standards and frameworks. The Parliaments role in
guiding the propoor Strategic direction of Digital Bangladesh cannot be overemphasized too.

26
Policy & Legal Framework:
This Digital Bangladesh policy framework currently is largely being driven by ICT Policy 2009,
ICT Act 2009 and International Long Distance Telecommunications Services 2009.
Implementing the Right to Information Act 2009 is expected to expedite the translation of Digital
Bangladesh vision into reality. Explicit efforts are being taken by related government agencies to
mainstream ICT for development issues in their respective sectoral policies such as health,
education, disaster management, etc.

Banking and Financial Transactions:

This involves developing infrastructures for facilitating financial inclusion for the poor and for
creating a modern financial system that will not only be robust and efficient but also Will have
effective control and balance in place. The focus will include spurring economic Activities by
removing regulatory barriers to facilitate online commerce and to promote Faster and more
secure money transaction by reaching out to those outside the banking System. The overall aim
is to promote efficiency by private sector growth through a robust Financial system and ensuring
equality through financial inclusion to the unbanked.

Delivery Channels for taking Services to Citizens Doorsteps:

This covers issues of what ICTbased delivery channels are or can be used for solving the last
mile problem in taking services to citizens in disadvantaged areas. The old ICTs such as TV and
radio are becoming more and more localized and interactive, while the newer ICTs such as
computers and mobile phones are becoming cheaper and gaining reach a combination of which
are providing increasingly exciting opportunities for extending services and engaging the private
sector as partners in the process. Another issue of access is shared access points which enables
community access rather than individualbased.

Financing Strategies and PublicPrivate Partnership Framework:

This covers issues of scope for publicprivate partnership for realizing Digital Bangladesh,
particularly in areas of eGovernance. The primary focus is on identifying modalities where the
private sector can coinvest and generate revenues from providing a particular service on behalf
of the government.[2]

27
 Schools to
get 1400
labs

Online
service
eases job
applicatio
n hassle

About US : What is Digital Bangladesh

28
Background:
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are recognized as a powerful tool for
socio-economic development. With appropriate policies, supplemented by realistic strategies,
ICTs are known to have brought tremendous welfare to people in terms of better access to
information, job creation, and enhanced public services through efficient governance and
diversification of economic opportunities.

Today, the adaptation and usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is
increasingly being linked to the national economic development and subsequent human
development for the countries of the world. Countries are using ICTs to participate in the
international economy, to exploit emerging technologies for the betterment of their citizens, to
modernize institutions and markets. Bangladesh, like most developing countries, recognizes the
potential of ICTs as an unprecedented lever for economic emancipation as well as an enabler for
poverty reduction and human development both of which are of equal importance.

1. Early efforts: ICT as a sector

2. ICT as development enabler
3. Public sector initiatives
4. Policy and Legal context
5. Emergence of Digital Bangladesh
6. Key Elements of Digital Bangladesh
7. Human Resource Development (HRD)
8. Connecting the Citizens
9. ICT in Business

Early efforts: ICT as a sector:

The realization that ICTs can be an important enabler for Bangladeshs development is not new.
The early efforts in this regard were directed towards developing ICT as an export sector and a
potential area of employment generation for ICT graduates. As early as 1991, the Export
Promotion Bureau (EPB) with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and International Trade Centre (ITC) undertook an initiative to explore market potential of ICTs.
Through a series of meetings and seminars, the key issues were identified and corrective
measures were suggested. Another project of Ministry of Science and Technology with support
from UNDP and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1992
involved identification of problem areas and drafting of recommendations to promote ICT export
of Bangladesh. In both cases, however, no follow-up action appeared to have been taken.

One of the most recognized efforts in this regard was taken in 1997. A committee was formed
with Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury as its convenor to explore the potential of an export
oriented software industry in Bangladesh. The committee comprised of representatives from the

29
government, industry, and academia, which submitted its report in September 14, 1997. Several
of the recommendations of the committee were implemented which, in many ways, shaped the
modern discourse around ICT in Bangladesh. Establishment of Bangladesh Association of
Software & Information Services (BASIS), formation of ICT Task force headed by the Prime
Minister in 2000, substantial reduction of government levies on ICT imports, can be traced back
to the recommendations made in that report. The role of the role of Bangladesh Computer
Shamity (BCS) also played a part in implementing these recommendations. Bangladesh
Computer Samity (BCS) was ever vigilant to work with the government and other private
stakeholders to expand the ICT sector in the country. Its successful campaign resulted in the
governments landmark decision in 1998 to remove taxes on computer accessories and open up
VSAT technology to the private sector in 2000. These decisions led to significant drop in the
price of computer equipments and cost of internet respectively so that the common man could
afford ICTs.

The report of the committee, often referred to as the JRC report, captured the imagination of
common citizens and government alike, created renewed political commitments of the
subsequent governments around ICTs.

ICT as development enabler

World over, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in development
programming is a relatively new concept. In 2000 ICTs assumed a new prominence, when the
United Nations and G8 group of industrialized countries flagged ICT for Development (ICT4D)
as a global development priority by declaring that, everyone, everywhere should be enabled to
participate in the benefits of the global information society. The subsequent publication of
UNDP Human Development Report titled Making New Technologies Work for Human
Development in 2001 was a landmark effort to explore the use of new technologies for the
benefit of common citizens of the world.

The renewed interest influenced the UN General Assembly to adopt resolution 56/183 (21
December 2001) which endorsed the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS) in two phases. The first phase took place in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003 and
the second phase took place in Tunis from 16 to 18 November 2005.
The Bangladesh delegation in WSIS was led by the incumbent Prime Minister who endorsed the
11-point WSIS agenda and declared Bangladeshs intention to become an information society by
2006. The second summit in 2005 was attended by the then Minister for Science and ICT who
reaffirmed Bangladeshs intention to follow up on the agenda as well. [1]

30
 Emergence of Digital Bangladesh

Digital Bangladesh by 2021 emerged as part of Charter for Changethe election manifesto
of Bangladesh Awami League for the 9th Parliamentary Election. The declaration was made in
December 12, 2008 for the election held in December 29, 2008. Though a date is attached to this
agenda, it is interpreted as a long-term vision rather than a target. This forward-looking vision
quickly captured peoples imagination and became the cornerstone of the entire election
manifesto.

In the backdrop of a markedly pro-poor election manifesto of the Awami League, the Digital
Bangladesh vision is unique as it proposes to mainstream ICTs as a pro-poor tool. Indeed, this is
probably the first time in the history of Bangladesh that the vision of poverty reduction and
human development leveraging ICTs was proposed that received instant support from common
citizens.
In many ways, the Digital Bangladesh vision took the policy makers and practitioners by
surprise. While the basic premise of the vision is not new, the all-encompassing nature of the
vision demands a fundamental shift of mindset of the implementers. It not only needs thinking
anew but new ways of thinking.

ICT in Business:
This component will deal with three broad issues of Digital Bangladesh namely i) access to
market, ii) promotion of ICT business to support Digital Bangladesh and iii) ICT as an export
oriented sector.

Leveraging ICTs to promote access to markets by the disadvantaged producers and businesses
would be a prime objective of this component. By extension, this also includes the issue of
leveraging ICTs to maintain a socially responsible and equitable market for all. By extending
initiatives like cellBazar and mobile payments, this sub-component can open up markets for
small entrepreneurs and large business alike. Introduction of ICT platforms to participate in
public procurements (e-Tender) is yet another example of how ICTs are leveraged in various
parts of the world to open new opportunities for the businesses.

The second sub-component would be the issue of promotion of the ICT business. The basic
objective would be to support the industry so that it may provide the services and technology

31
needed to sustain the three other components of Digital Bangladesh. This sub-component would
need to deal with assistance to the private sector to attain the international standards by
bootstrapping some of the training institutions/mechanism and by promulgating the necessary
standards and benchmarks required to maintain and encourage quality.

Finally, the third sub-component involves promoting the ICT business sector to boost its
potential for ICT export and earn foreign currency. This may also involve providing the right
springboard required for the local companies to access the global market. In case of both the
second and third sub-component, the other key objective will be to generate gainful employment
for the youth and for the country.

Initiation like m-banking and electronic payment as well as electronic business transactions are
few key initiative in this regard. Supporting the industry to develop required human resources
and promoting market access would be another dimension of the initiative.

Digital Bangladesh:"e-Extension Services for Need Based

Aquaculture Extension":
The present Government is committed to implement its election manifesto to establish Digital
Bangladesh through concerned ministries and agencies. Effective implementation of e-
Extension Services for Need Based Aquaculture Extension programme through the Department
of Fisheries (DoF) and Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL) would ensure the use of IT
in the fisheries sub-sector, a step forward towards Digital Bangladesh.

The programme is an on-going polit programme of DoF. The programme is being implemented
by the Access to Information Programme (A2I) of the Prime Ministers.

Main objective of the programmed is to ensure quick delivery of services on fish culture and
extension to relatively remote areas through use of information and communication technology
(ICT). Establishment of Fisheries Information and Communication Centre (FICC) will be an
important step of this programmer.

An e-LEAF (e-Local Extension Agent for Fisheries) will be entrusted with the management and
operation of each FICC.Fish farmer can ask for on the spot technical help in the FICC on fish
farming/aquaculture problems.

This e-Extension Services for Need Based Aquaculture Extension programmed being primarily
implemented in 10 villages with the technical and financial assistance of the UNDP will not only
contribute to increase fish production but will enhance IT capability of the local people.

Depending on the success the programmer would be extended depending on its success.This
pilot programmer of e-Extension Services for Need Based Aquaculture Extension will provide
important contribution to fisheries sub-sector.

32
The fish farmers will receive the following services:

Fish farmer will get support in finding solution of their problem from e-LEAF. If the e-LEAF
cannot solve the problem or unable to suggest any solution, he (e-LEAF) would immediately
contact with the Senior/Upazila Fisheries Officer or District Fisheries Officer through mobile
phone/teleconference or videoconference and discuss the particular problem with them for
getting the real solution of the problem.

Successful implementation of this FICC programmed will ensure and provide quick and on the
spot solutions to fish farming problems.

Information regarding fish culture/aquaculture will easily reach to the general mass through this
programmed as the FICC will be enriched with extension videos, other extension materials and
tools for fish farming.

As per demand of the fish farmer/aqua culturist an e-LEAF will visit fish farmers/aqua culturists
pond/farm/gher and suggest on the spot solutions and what is need to be done.

This programmed would augment mass awareness among those who wants to go for fish farming
or those who has got facilities for that.

Fish farmers/aqua culturists would get hand-on practical and technical knowledge regarding fish
farming/aquaculture.

E-LEAF can provide easy and door steps service delivery on fish farming and extension to fish
farmers/aqua culturists using IT, computer and related accessories.

Selected e-LEAF will serve on volunteer basis (with no salary). But without affecting the aims
and objectives of the FICC he may support his livelihood using the IT tools and extension
materials of the FICC.

At times of special problems the SUFOs/UFOs and the DFOs can consult with the HQ of DoF
through video conferencing and get quick solution to specific problem.

To attend such queries immediately a special team be constituted with the Director General, DoF
as the chief that would continuously be connected to the network to answer such queries.

33
 Digital Bangladesh: virtual dreams,
real lives
"Digital Bangladesh" is working in one respect, however: there are jokes. A farmer sets off for
the market to buy a cow. On the way, he meets a friend who tells him that he can buy one on a
mobile-phone. The farmer calls the number and hears an automated message: "For cows press 1.
For goats press 2. For chickens press 3." The farmer presses 1. "For Bangladeshi cow press 1.
For foreign cow press 2." He presses 1. "For black cow press 1. For brown cow press 2. For
white......" The line is disconnected: the farmer has used up all the credits on his phone.

The new Bangladesh still has a way to go. In fact, however, many in Bangladesh do believe that
there is something to the "digital Bangladesh" notion. The slogan may yet lack actual substance,
but people want it to become more than a virtual dream. The political notion has found a social
echo that in post-election Bangladesh will not yet allow its promise to disappear.

The cellular hope :

The most enthusiastic supporters of the project are to be found on the social-networking site
Facebook. The approximately 4,000 members of the "digital Bangladesh" group - almost all
middle-class, urban-based and educated - are in varying degrees engaged by the idea of the
country becoming technologically advanced.

Saiful is one. He writes that the "promise of a 'digital Bangladesh' has created renewed hopes in
the government and the public equally, particularly for the young generation [ ]. Bangladesh can
be the next destination of the IT generation all over the world. This campaign is like another War
of Liberation, giving the country a real chance for a digital evolution."

Ismail writes: "Digital Bangladesher shopno amra dekhchhi - we can see the dream of Digital
Bangladesh". Mustafa says: "recently I visited some villages and talked to young housewives....
I was surprised to note that they are absolutely conscious about the future of their children's
education. Even they think that their kids should know how to use computers".

But these young proponents of the cause are realistic. They ask how a digital Bangladesh is
possible when there are regular power-cuts even in the major city-centres, and hold the
government responsible for such failings; say that the general development of the country is
hampered by pervasive corruption that is most visible in local and central government; and
question where the money will come from. Most raise the issue of low literacy levels, and the
consequence of the rural poor being left out of any kind of development. Engr, for example,
asks: "What will Digital Bangladesh' deliver? Is it important to [the] 80% underprivileged
people of Bangladesh?Digital Bangladesh' will be Frankenstein. Only 10-15% will take the
opportunity and will deprive others using [the] Digital Bangladesh' outcomes."

34
The comments and questions are impressive. But reading them left me no better informed. Here
as elsewhere, there is very little actual explanation of the scope of "digital Bangladesh": its
mission and goals, and a clear statement of how these will be achieved.

The modern vision

Hafiz Siddiqi is the vice-chancellor of one of the largest private universities in Dhaka. He
considers "digital Bangladesh" to be an extremely ambitious plan - and one with immense
potential. He believes it will allow the country to become more efficient, transparent, and
commercially more productive. The project in his view is about establishing an integrated
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) network with education at the heart that
could push Bangladesh towards the status of a middle-income country. This means building on
and extending existing e-governance, e-commerce, e-banking and mobile-phone network
capacities.

The universities are partly digitised already, all colleges, high schools, primary schools and
madrasas will be wired with third-generation technology by 2021. "After five years of schooling,
all students should have regular access to computers with internet facilities. The use of the
automated library is spreading slowly in most universities, although they have to go a long way
to be digital in the real sense". Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare services at all levels will also be
connected electronically. This will mean that medical reports can be analyzed in Dhaka, and
recommendations and prescriptions for patients sent back to a village (perhaps hundreds of miles
away) in a matter of minutes.

In the tricky area of governance, communication between those making the decisions and those
employed to implement them will become faster and more effective. The monitoring of
performance will be built in. For the first time, there will be an easy flow of information between
ministries, administrative offices at district levels, right down to the village.

Siddiqi acknowledges that to realize the aspirations of the 2021 vision, the country must be able
to produce its own engineers, scientists and technological know-how. This means more
investment in education. If this doesn't happen, Bangladesh will be dependent and vulnerable. "If
we fail to manage a sustainable digitized Bangladesh with our own resources, Digital
Bangladesh' 2021 will harm rather than benefit the country."

The village voice :

Bangladesh begins at the village level, far from the places where most university professors and
Facebook users live. It is people living in rural areas who delivered victory to Sheikh Hasina and
the Awami League. If "digital Bangladesh" is ever to be implemented, the rural inhabitants must
be part of it and the government must make every effort to ensure this.

Many Bangladeshis living far from urban centers don't have electricity or clean drinking-water,
and even face the prospect of dying in the bed they were born in after a life that has left them
more impoverished than their parents. Also on Bangladesh in open Democracy:

35
I visited a village that is eight hours' drive from the capital. A primary class is being held in the
courtyard of the local mosque as there is no school here as such. When I arrive, around thirty 4-
and 5-year-olds, arranged in rows and sitting cross-legged on the ground, are learning the
English alphabet. The children are hardly dressed; none wears sandals. They share a few books,
which are covered in old election posters.

The teacher, also bare-footed, is an elderly bearded man wearing a purple shirt and white hat. He
is actually a rice farmer, but teaches the class a few times a week. He uses a stick - an extension
of his finger - to poke dozing kids and tap the shoulders of the chatty ones. There are more girls
here than boys, a proportion that will be reversed when the children are about 13.

I join the class at the letter H. "H diye house", the teacher says. "H diye house", the class repeats
with enthusiasm. You can hear the joy of learning something weird and new in their shrill voices.
"House holo ki?" ["What is a house?"], the teacher asks. He answers himself. "House holo
basha." The kids repeat the words. "Who lives in your house?" he asks. The children shout out
various responses: "my mum", "granddad", "uncle's wife", "my dad's cows", "our ducks". All of
this takes place in Bangla.

They move onto the letter I. "I diye ice-cream". "Ice-cream holo ki?" the teacher asks. "Ice-cream
holo ice-cream" the pupils answer. Some are surprised that "ice-cream" is the same in English
and Bangla. "Ice-cream is bad for you" the teacher cautions. "You will get aches in your bellies
if you eat too many of them". The class looks unconvinced.

Onto J. "J diye jug. Jug holo jug". Now the kids are laughing. This English thing is easy - they're
mostly Bangla words! Two girls take the opportunity to sneak to the back, where there are taps
used by the men of the village for ablution before prayers. The girls turn a tap on and stick their
mouths to it. Dripping with water, they rejoin the class. "Water is very important", the teacher is
telling the class, unaware he has two returned absconders. "If you don't drink enough water, you
die. If you drink too much water, you also die. You have to drink the right amount. Only a little
this way, or that way, and you will die". The teacher adds: "this is how Allah has made the
world. He has told us about benefits and detriments. He wants you to follow those things that are
beneficial to you and to avoid that which will be detrimental".

The class is interrupted by the call for the lunchtime prayers. The kids all run home for their rice.
I ask the teacher (in English) what he thinks of "digital Bangladesh". He has no idea what I am
saying. I try Bangla. He smiles and says he's never heard of it. I ask him whom he voted for in
the election. It's not rude to ask here: almost everything in such places is party-politicized, and
this kind of information is common knowledge to most anyway. He says, the boat - the symbol
of the Awami League. I try to explain "digital Bangladesh" to him. From what he is able to
grasp, he thinks it's a good idea. He would like computers for his students. He thinks they will
really benefit from them. But he would like a school building first, some books and pens even. A
fan for the hot season would also be good, as would be a light bulb.

36
The brave new world:
"Digital Bangladesh" in its current iteration would benefit the urban middle classes and could
bring significant progress. But this should not be at the expense of other provisions, which must
be a priority in any event: including rural schools (chairs and tables and books and pens and fans
and light bulbs and all), as well as other essential services the rural poor have been denied for so
long. The two types of project are not mutually exclusive, nor need they be in competition with
each other.

In fact, a successful "digital Bangladesh" would need a more literate population. A mass
computer-literacy programmed or even a government-sponsored computer course, offered
perhaps as an incentive for every student who completes his or her secondary-school education,
would benefit everyone. If there is will - backed by investment - there is a way.

The signs are mixed. The new government blocked access to the video-sharing internet site
YouTube after the posting there of a recording of army officers berating Sheikh Hasina over the
deaths of their colleagues in the Bangladesh Rifles mutiny on 25-26 February 2009 (see Liz
Philipson, "Bangladesh: revolt and fallout", 30 March 2009). The recording was quickly reposted
to other internet sites via proxies - a technique developed by cyber-dissenters in China.

Such behaviour - reflecting the wider political culture of control and personalism that has
handicapped the country since independence - casts doubt over the government's integrity vis--
vis "digital Bangladesh". Insofar as it has substance, the 2021 vision carries hopes for a different
approach: more democracy, transparency, and accountability - ideals that successive Bangladeshi
governments have eroded and treated as anomalies. A meaningful "digital Bangladesh" would
start at the top: effective websites for government departments, departmental financial accounts
published online, citizens' direct email access to public representatives, the voting record of
every MP open to scrutiny. Such a "digital Bangladesh" would help to change the political
culture for the better. If combined with essential social-development programmes that bring
measurable improvements to Bangladesh's rural inhabitants, the result would be a major advance
for the country. Are Bangladesh's leaders willing to rise to the challenge?

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As it is nicely noted and quoted above "An elusive project to transform Bangladesh needs an
infusion of resources, leadership and village-centered development if it is to be made
meaningful"-Digital City will not therefore bring any positive changes. While co-supervising and
assisting M.Sc. students of computer science at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB),

37
through online studies I revealed that we do not even know how many government domains have
already been registered. There are significant amount of sites which hardly have any content, let
alone any. What is the point in asking each DC to have their site? What is the point in making all
the basic information online, if such services cannot be availed by the target group? The first
enthusiastic project that was initiated even before the declaration of AL manifesto, is the e-
rajshahi project for a digital city. While 80% of the country is mostly agrarian, as even a child at
school might refer, needs the concentration. The economy yet depends on agriculture, we need to
give concentration there. Despite all the problems associated with the resource availability
(power supply, literacy, tech. support, affordability etc.) I strongly believe that it is the right time
to start. We are already at least 50 years behind the first team of the technology-implementation
"digital group." With a mere 51% literacy rate, we might begin the journey, but technology reach
might not require literary. People learn to count money without going to school or without
having any interest in academics; learn to use cell phone, contact number and dial/send SMS
without ever being to school!; might one day use an ATM card without being "literate."

Government imposes extra cost on

Bangladeshis

Bangladesh government is required to issue Machine Readable Passport (MRP) by April

30, 2010 to all its citizens for international travel because it is a signatory to a specialized
UN agency, called International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The ICAO is responsible
for coordinating and regulating international air travel. Without MRP, Bangladeshi passport
holders will not be able to travel outside Bangladesh from May 1, 2010. After 38 years of
independence, Bangladesh is again faced with identity issue. Passport is the most important
document of identification for gateway to the world. Bangladeshi manual passport (not digital)
loses its authority and becomes useless after April 30, 2010. Why are things repeatedly being
handled in such a way that the people are made to feel that the current government is not an
elected one? Elected government should show some more sense of responsibility, accountability
and transparency toward its people. It seems most of the ministers have become derailed in the
very first year of government from the focus of the election manifesto which basically promised
good governance. Bangladeshis must possess digital passport by April 2010 to continue to have
the identity document recognized by the world.

What if MRP is not issued to millions of Bangladeshis by April 2010? This means those who are
waiting in line to go abroad as skilled workers will not make it. People intending to study abroad
will also have to give up their hope, offered scholarships will be wasted and probably many

38
meritorious students will miss the opportunity to study in well-reputed universities abroad.
People wanting to travel for tourism or business will also not be able to go anywhere.
Bangladeshis will have to suffer because of the failure and lack of coordination of three four
ministries like the Home, Foreign, Commerce and Finance. In the last one year, we have noticed
innumerable failures of these four Ministries. Interestingly, the Ministers are all elected
representatives and backed by money and powerful agents. They were not chosen from the
Technocrat category. People should not accept irresponsible attitude from elected
representatives. The Ministers should discuss the MRP issue at the Parliament and account for
their delay and the Home Ministry should work day and night to issue MRPs to its citizens by the
international deadline of April 2010.

It is not understandable why Bangladesh cannot do what a problem-ridden state like Pakistan can
do. Pakistan has been issuing MRPs to its citizens for quite some time. The website of
immigration and passports of Pakistan clearly states the eight necessary steps to have an MRP.
The steps include: 1. Arrival of applicant at Customer Service Centre at Regional Passport
Office; 2. Receive token from Token Counter; 3. Provide finger prints to authority for Biometric
Data Capture; 4. Go to Photograph Counter to take photo; 5. Go to computer counter for
providing personal data for completion of Data Entry; 6. Provided data will be verified as per
office record to check whether the applicant is black listed or has restrictions on exiting the
country; 7. Interview and decision will be taken by Assistant Director; 8. A date will be issued
for collection of the MRP, usually between 5-12 days, depending on the nature of the passport
application (ordinary or urgent). The website of department of immigration and passports of
Bangladesh has no details of MRP and yet we constantly scream that we are moving toward
digital Bangladesh! In the last one year, nobody had the time in the department to write one
paragraph on MRP information for travelers who are going to be affected the most. The
government has become extremely derailed from all its priorities. Priorities have to be
straightened out. Disconnecting Bangladesh from the rest of the world will not help Bangladesh
move forward or become digital. It is already painful to imagine how the world will perceive us
after April 2010!

MRP is a mechanism to become digital. MRP will have all data encoded in optical character
which can be read by computers. Bangladesh has 1.2 crore hand written passports which will all
become null and void by April 2010 for not having data in encoded format. While some 115 out
of 187 member nations of the ICAO, including India and Pakistan, have issued MRPs to their
citizens, Bangladesh is yet to begin the initial set up process concerning the issuing of the MRP.
Unfortunately, by the time Bangladesh will complete issuing MRPs to its citizens in 2014, the
world requirement will have changed to holding e-passports. The world is required to have e-
passports by 2014. Then why did the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council
(ECNEC) on March 19, 2009 approve Tk. 3.50 billion for MRP and Visa project to be carried
out by the Bangladesh Army? Either we have no brains or we have brains only for wasting
people's hard-earned money of one of the poorest countries in the world. The Home ministry said
that the government would earn around Tk.90 billion in the next five years with the
implementation of the project. People will pay that much money for getting MRP which will
become redundant by 2014. Then people will be forced to pay again for getting e-passport to

39
remain connected with the rest of the world. What is going on? Is corruption being sponsored by
the Home Ministry? How many times? Why will the citizens be forced to pay twice for one
passport? Citizens should pay for e-passports only. The MRP project should be dropped for good
and only e-passports should be processed for saving money of people of a poor country. If MRP
is processed now and if by 2014 we end up in political turmoil, processing of e-passports will get
delayed or postponed for a considerable number of months (hopefully not years) and
Bangladeshis will be forced to become disconnected from the rest of the world. In 2014, people
without e-passports will not benefit from the blame game that will either fall on the Bangladesh
Army or derailed Ministers of this government who seriously lack foresight and love to dwell
and day-dream in fool's paradise. Why did the people elect them in the first place? For about
three laces voters who elected the representatives of the concerned Ministries in December 2008,
approximately 1.2 core Bangladeshi passport holders will be made to suffer by 2010. Democracy
has its own flaws! Only accountability and foresight can save us. Hopefully, the Prime Minister
will look into the matter and urgently revise the decision to issue e-passports only. Why cannot
we for once be ahead of the world? [4]

Managing Digital Bangladesh 2021

THE scope of Digital Bangladesh (DB) is not yet clear. We assume that the government wants
to make Bangladesh fully digitized by 2021 through application of third generation information
and communication technology (ICT).

Digitization helps increase operational efficiency and productivity provided the supporting
infrastructures work properly. This is a tool that will help accelerate economic development and
increase competitive edges of Bangladesh in the world market.

It is assumed that by 2021 Bangladesh will have a countrywide ICT network that will operate to
ensure high speed information flow between the decision- centers wherefrom instructions will be
transmitted electronically to the action centres to make the intended actions happen.

The goal is to accelerate a national decision-making process and to implement at the decisions,
monitor the performance of the government functionaries at all levels starting from the national
parliament through the ministries, administrative offices at districts, upazilas and down to the
schools at village levels; evaluate the results at each level and if necessary correct the behaviour
of the non-performers.

40
The scope of DB is very wide. It is not only e-governance or e-commerce or e-banking, or
operating a country-wide mobile phone network through which one can access the daily
newspapers or other internet devices.

In fact, it is a combination of all of them. It is a country-wide application of 3G ICT to

institutionalize the best management practices in every sector and sub-sector. To make DB
happen, highest priority must be given to science, technology and management education.
Besides, to be productive, the educated people must be in good health. This means digitization
should start simultaneously with the education and health sectors. [1]

Education sector
The universities of Bangladesh are already partly digitised. DB visualises that by 2021 all
universities, colleges, high schools, primary schools, and madrasahs will have computerised
connectivity. ICT is intended to be used as teaching-learning aids. After five years of schooling
all students should have regular access to computers with internet facilities. The goal is to
improve the quality of education. The use of automated library is spreading slowly in most
universities, although they have to go a long way to be digital in the real sense. By 2021 the
entire education sector should be digitised with third generation wireless technology.

Health sector

Under the Ministry of Health there are medical universities, colleges and hospitals in big cities.
In addition, there are a large number of rural hospitals/clinics/healthcare service centres at
district, upazila, and Thana levels. However, most of these hospitals and clinics are not well
equipped and their services are not of desirable quality. The number of qualified doctors and
nurses is much less than required. Nor do they have required type of diagnostic equipment and
operating theatres. Reportedly, the available facilities and medicines are often misused.

In Digital Bangladesh all these clinics will be linked through the computer-aided connectivity.
Major hospitals should even have their websites linked with the websites of the DG, Health
Directorate. But it must be noted that merely establishing connectivity will not solve the
problems of inadequacy of the number of doctors, nurses, equipment, medicines, etc.

What the digitization can do is to seek, receive, analyze the medical reports and transmit back
prescriptions/instructions, monitor the performances at the rural clinics electronically.

In other words, decisions can be implemented very quickly. This will ease out management
problems. Because the entire information and data set will flow back and forth electronically
they will be relatively more transparent and in turn the probability of indulgence in corruption
will decrease. Beside, by 2021, the DB will hopefully introduce video conference systems
between doctors in major clinics.

41
Managerial talent:
To digitize Bangladesh with 3G technology in 12 years is fairly ambitious. However, there is no
reason to feel skeptical. It needs strong commitment and strategic planning for sustainable DB.
The beginning must concentrate on the development of infrastructure in terms of hardware,
software and manpower. Merely buying several lakhs computers and distributing them among
several thousand workstations located in colleges, schools, hospitals and clinics will not digitize
Bangladesh. Locally produced qualified manpower must be available to keep the system running
without depending on foreign "experts." The project presupposes that Bangladesh will be able to
build its technical and managerial capacity to design the necessary digital network system,
procure and install all the equipment properly, and to educate, train and deploy necessary
personnel to operate and maintain the nationwide ICT network.

Sustainability of DB will depend on our ability to maintain, repair and expand once the system is
installed. To install the system at the beginning we may seek foreign help, but to keep the system
running we must not depend on external help. We must develop our own manpower.

To produce such human resources, the government must assign highest priority to the promotion
of science, technology and management education. We must prepare a separate plan to produce
adequate number of scientists, computer and communication engineers, software engineers,
technology management experts, etc.

Otherwise DB will make Bangladesh highly vulnerable by making Bangladesh dependent on

those countries that manufacture, control and distribute ICT. Sustainability is more important
than starting. If we fail to manage a sustainable digitized Bangladesh with our own resources,
Digital Bangladesh 2021 will harm rather than benefit the country.

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 Digital PSTU:

As a student of BAM faculty we want to discover our PSTU as a role model of DIGITAL
BANGLADESH.

Some updated & extra ordinary activities can make PSTU as role model of DIGITAL
BANGLADESH.

Academic sector:
Expert & efficient web developer must be recruited immediately.
Sufficient computer & lab facilities must be provided for all students.
Broadband connection must be available for all in PSTU.
Academic schedule must be available in PSTU web site.
Projector must be ensuring in every classroom.
Every class lecture should be provided in web site.
Result in every semester should be available in the web site.
To give the opportunity of filling enrolment form in online.
Recommended text books should be available in PSTU web site.

Admission process:
Though ours is a science & technology university but our admission process still stands
in the rudimentary level. So we need.

The form of admission test must be available in PSTU web site.

Including mobile phone in admission process, it will be easier.

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Administration sector:
The administration activities should be provided in web site.
Every notice must be published in web site so that all the students can concern
about that.
Every updated news must be published in the PSTU web site.
Security system should be ensuring with the help of technology.

Accommodation sector:
Broadband connection must be available for every hall in PSTU.
University must be needed their own Powerhouse.
University authority should be ensured CC TV in every hall gate to prevent
entering externals.

At a nutshell, it can be said that if all the above facilities can be ensured, then our
university will be a role model of DIGITAL BANGLADESH.

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 Findings:
We get some findings from this study.

Such as:

Digital Bangladesh by 2021 emerged as part of Charter for Change

The key objective here is to make the best use of new technologies to build world-class
skills in all areas of study especially mathematics, science, and English language.
The two key sub-components of this component are e-Citizen Service and e-Administration
to delivery e-Citizen Services.
A digital society ensures an ICT driven knowledge-based society where information will be
readily available on line and where all possible tasks of the government, semi-government
and also private spheres will be processed using the state of the art technology.
The goal of Digital Bangladesh is to develop ICT systems, infrastructure and human
resource for strengthening the vital developmental sectors to make a direct positive impact
on the key social and economic indicators.

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 Recommendations:
After completing this report we offer some recommends about digital Bangladesh:

> Government should more commit about electricity.

> Internet facilities must ensure in every institution.
> Technical education should be provided from the rudimentary level of education.
> Tax should be reduced from the importable technological goods.
> Public should also be committed beside government towards the VSSION 2021.
> Some countries offer laptop computer in lower prices (such as Singapore &
Malaysia).So government should take steps to import laptop computer from these
countries.
>Only a lot of computer could not make a digital Bangladesh. So, government should
take steps to make people skilled in taking advantages of other technology.

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 Conclusion
The Digital Bangladesh vision is unique as it proposes to mainstream ICTs as a pro-poor tool.
Indeed, this is probably the first time in the history of Bangladesh that the vision of poverty
reduction and human development leveraging ICTs was proposed that received instant support
from common citizens.

In many ways, the Digital Bangladesh vision took the policy makers and practitioners by
surprise. While the basic premise of the vision is not new, the all-encompassing nature of the
vision demands a fundamental shift of mindset of the implementers. It not only needs thinking
anew but new ways of thinking.

ICT for education or e-Education will also deal with providing vocational and lifelong
education opportunities to the youth and adults in order to retool them and build newer skills to
improve their productivity.

So, digital Bangladesh is a dream of the people of Bangladesh.

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 References
[1]. (www.bangladesh.gov.bd)

[2]. (Google search)

[3]. (www.bdnews24.com)

[4]. (www.dgip.gov.pk)

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