The Digital Bangladesh Programme, aimed at achieving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision of transforming Bangladesh into a digital economy by 2021 and a knowledge-based economy by 2041, has already been showing the signs of a success story. It has created a unique opportunity for the country’s people engaged in ICT sector.
Meanwhile, Sajib Wajed Joy, the ICT Advisor to the Prime Minister has asserted that Bangladesh will earn five billion-dollar by 2023 from the ICT sector only.
In an exclusive interview with the Bangladesh Post, the ICT secretary NM Zeaul Alam has given a complete and compact idea about the progress of Digital Bangladesh. From the beginning to the present state and the future goal of the journey of Digital Bangladesh, he informed the entire gamut of the project and its progress.
He said, “The digital Bangladesh programme had started its journey in 2009, and it has four pillars, ICT infrastructure and Connectivity, Human Resource Development, E-governance and Industry.” “Preparing the district web portals was also quite challenging, as there is no sufficient number of web developers in the country. Now, the government web portal is one of the unique ones in the world which has also won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award.”
To fulfil the Vision-2021 of Digital Bangladesh, the Information and Communication Technology Division and other government organisations concerned have been working relentlessly, he added.
Some excerpts of the interview is as follows:
BP: How did the Digital Bangladesh Journey start?
Zeaul Alam: The digital journey of the country began back in 2009. At that time, as per the government direction, we organised a Digital Fair, where we noticed the gathering of huge enthusiastic youths which inspired and showed us the way to proceed towards Digital Bangladesh with the best use of those young enthusiasts.
Immediate after the commencement of the digitalisation, we first started to build a web portal and without piloting of any project back in November 11, 2011, a total of 4,501 Union Digital Centres were established which is, undoubtedly, a milestone of the present government. But now there is a good number of quality web developers which is the reflection of Digital Bangladesh. At present, the government web portal is unique with its 46,500 sites which has also earned the OASIS award.
Establishing Digital Bangladesh was a pre-poll pledge of Awami League ahead of the 2009 General Election. And, just within a decade, the Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made unprecedented development in establishing a Digital Bangladesh.
As for instance, the introduction of Electronic-governance (e-governance) can be mentioned. E-governance can play an important role in ensuring accountability, transparency and, above all, good governance. On the other hand, an easy access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can provide a huge benefit in new employment generation, better health, better education, knowledge sharing, skills developments and capacity building for sustainable development.
Also, an integrated Information Management System known as National E-Service System (NESS) to improve government efficiency and promote interaction between ministries, divisions, departments, districts and upazila administrations through the construction of government ICT network infrastructure is being improved regularly. Use of ICT system in all government offices can play a vital role in improving employees’ efficiency, accountability, transparency; reducing wastage of resources, enhancing planning and improving the quality of services.
It also includes e-Nothi (e-File), which helps to track the development of a project or the state of an official file. This is also helping in establishing the paperless office in the country.
To bring all the government services under a single umbrella and to simplify access to public services by reducing time and cost, the government has introduced the Service Process Simplification (SPS) system. Access to Information (a2i) Programme has developed this model following the internationally recognised Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) model to change the conventional system of delivering public services to citizens.
NESS is a government's comprehensive strategy to promote good governance and achieve a corruption-free state and society. This is associated with the Father of the Nation's remark "The nation must be united against corruption. If public opinion is not mobilized, corruption cannot be stopped by enforcement of law alone".
Ensuring good governance is one of the most important agenda of the present government. An effective, efficient and dynamic administrative system is essential to ascertain good governance. Keeping this in mind, with a view to ensuring institutional transparency, accountability, proper utilization of resources, and the government has taken an initiative to introduce a Performance Management System (PMS) in public sector organisations.
With this, now every government work is being conducted as per comprehensive plan. No one will be able to neglect their job. If anything remains undone, s/he will be held responsible for this. A monitoring team is also there for surveillance of the activity.
A Citizen Charter, a short public document, gives important information about the services provided by the public agency concerned. In 2016, the government introduced Grievance Redress System (GRS), an institutionalised and organised method consisting of specified roles, rules, and procedures for systematically resolving complaints, grievances, disputes, or conflicts. The aim of this is to develop a range of procedures to facilitate airing, and resolution of grievances in a non-threatening, supportive environment.
Besides, to ensure security for its people with the fastest service, the government has introduced call centres 999, 333 for information, 106 for disasters and 109 for women and children abuses. Right to Information (RTI) is another service of the government, through which anyone can get any information they want.
BP: How is the government expanding its connectivity?
Zeaul Alam: Development of the Internet and Information Technology is a high government priority. From city to the grassroots levels, in every corner of the country, the government is reaching its internet connectivity through fibre optic cables. Around 2,400 unions are now under the optical fibre high-speed internet coverage, the rest will be bought under its shed gradually.
BP: How is the government helping the country’s entrepreneurs to expand their market?
Zeaul Alam: To promote the country’s locally produced software and the hardware, the government is establishing 28 high-tech parks in different parts of the country. To accelerate economic development, the government is offering the opportunity for the country’s unemployed youths to be provided through these high tech parks.
In the meantime, Janata Tower Software Technology Park, Bangabandhu High-tech Park at Kaliakoir and Sheikh Hasina High Tech Park at Jessore have started their journey. As per the government’s investment-friendly policy, investment from both local and foreign entrepreneurs is being encouraged there.
On the other hand, to develop an innovation-centred economy and sustain its remarkable growth, the government has formed Innovation Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (IDEA). The project will help the nation to innovate faster, develop technical skills and realise the vision of Digital Bangladesh.
The government is also establishing Sheikh Kamal Incubator Centre where locally produced software will be tasted before exporting those. The government has now taken the decision to spread the Incubator Centres' activities in all districts of the country.
BP: How is the government developing people’s skills?
Zeaul Alam: With the support of Japan Government, the government has established Information Technology Engineers Examination (ITEE). It is one of the largest scale national qualification examinations in Japan, with approximately 600,000 applicants are there each year.
ITEE examination is conducted on the same date and time with the same set of questions among all the ITPEC (Information Technology Professionals Examination Council) member countries. The student who successfully passed the examination, get a job in Japan.
Recently, we have talked with University Grants Commission (UGC) to introduce job-based curriculum. If universities add job-based subjects focusing on future demand, more skilled workforce will be produced in the country.
BP: What is the aim of the government?
Zeaul Alam: This entire plan set by the government is to prepare the country to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the coming days. By 2021, the government has a target of exporting IT and IT-based products worth $5 (five G) billion.
On the other hand, Bangladesh has significantly moved forward on the E-Government Development Index of the United Nations. At present, the country is standing at the 115th position which was 162 before. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy instructed us to work attentively so that we can bring our country in double-digit position and by 2025, we will bring our country to the 50th Position.
On the other hand, as our size of ICT is growing day by day, we have formulated the Cyber Security Act in October 2018. A separate commission is also there to monitor and prevent the Cybercrimes. All together, we can say, we are on the right track to fulfil the dream of our ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
