A2i has launched its illustrious Coffee Table Book on Monday at Amar Ekushe Boi Mela at The Bangla Academy premises titled “The A2i Journey: Making Digital Innovation Work for the Poor”- a collection of the achievements & impact stories of a2i innovations that changed millions of lives & way people receive public services. The purpose of the book is to portray citizen-centric digital solutions initiated by a2i that has accelerated the digitisation of country across the last mile people & rural Bangladesh.
The ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak was connected through online in the event. The book was unveiled by former Chief Whip of National Parliament Dr Md Abdus Shahid MP, Chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Sajjadul Hasan, former Information Secretary Kamrun Nahar, and Director of Bangla Academy poet Muhammad Nurul Huda.
Giving special message to the publication, our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mentioned “For one decade, through our innovative a2i programme, Bangladesh is championing the digitization of our economy”. Adding to this, honourable Advisor for Information & Communications Technology Mr Sajeeb Wazed Joy also mentioned “a2I have been innovators, generating fresh new ideas & ingenious solutions in applying technology to solving problems of governance. Without a2i, Digital Bangladesh would not have been possible”
A2i is the flagship digital Bangladesh program, that was born in the Prime Minister’s office & was incubated there as a whole-of-government, digital innovation catalyst for 11 years before graduating to a much large implementation program in the ICT division & Cabinet Division, with support from UNDP. The coffee table book includes overall six chapters- Digital Equity, Future of Education, Digital Financial Services, Future of Work, Data-Driven Policymaking, and South-South Cooperation.
The book editor, Ashfaq Zaman describes that the most interesting part of the coffee table book is that it contains actual case stories, shared by our citisens whose lives were transformed whilst receiving specific public service for their hurdles. These include stories of- a would-be mother in remote village who received life-saving intervention from Ma Telehealth, a rural woman who had access to a banking facility through Digital Center, a boy named Tapu whose life was changed by connecting with Konnect during the pandemic, & many such people-centric stories that are part of a fast developing & digitised Bangladesh.
