The government's dream and conviction are to build a digital Bangladesh. In this regard, the digital service of the post office is now helping the government to reach its desired goal.
To provide the fastest service to marginalized people through domestic mail software, the issue, and delivery of letters, documents, and parcels through the pos machine have been started in all post offices of the Sylhet division. As a result, both the sender and receiver can now know the location of the letter, document, or parcel at any time. This has brought speed to the post offices, besides, the ordinary people are benefiting as the service is being digital and they are returning to the post office.
Meanwhile, even though the service has gone digital, the cost of the service has not increased but has decreased. As a result, people are returning to the post office instead of private services or courier services in exchanging letters, documents, or parcels. There is a massive possibility of increasing the income of the government.
According to Sylhet division head post office sources, as a part of creating Digital Bangladesh, a total of 369 post offices in four districts of Sylhet division have started issuing and delivering letters, documents, and parcels through DMS by using the pos machine. This service started in the first phase in December last year in Sylhet's main post office, Upazila post office, and sub-offices. At the beginning of August, all post offices of the Division started providing these services. As a result, the rural population is also getting the digital service of the post office.
Through this service, the sender and recipient can easily find the location of their letter, document, or parcel by entering the post office's website. Once the sent item reaches the recipient, the sender can get to know about it through SMS on the mobile phone. Before this, the recipient can also know the time of issue of the letter, document, and parcel issued in his name from where and on what day, and who sent it and when. As a result, the number of people is increasing in post offices everywhere from city to village. In this area of technological advancement, postal department officials are also changing themselves in tune with their times. Through training, they have developed themselves as technically skilled manpower.
Even though the service became digital, sending letters, documents, or parcels costs became less at the post office than before. The post office has reduced the fee by 20-25% from the previous fee. In this, the service users are getting more benefits in the post office than in the courier service.
Mizanur Rahman, a college student from the Shibganj area of Sylhet city who came to send an urgent registry letter to the Sylhet main post office, said - 'I am a student. Sometimes I send job applications to various government and private offices after seeing the job circular in the newspaper. I have come to the post office to send such an application. But now I see everything has become modern, Issuing letters through pos machines. Along with the issue of the letter, a message also arrived on my mobile phone. This is very good. If such service continues, I think that good day will return to the post office again. Rural post offices are not as crowded as before. However, with the start of digital services, we expect people in rural areas will go to the post office again.
Masud Ahmed, a private employee who came to send a parcel to the South Surma Upazila Post Office said - I sell various handmade items through online orders. Earlier I could send a parcel weighing half a kg for the money, now I can send the parcel for 20% less than that. And I can know where the parcel is at any time and I also get a message on the mobile phone as soon as it reaches the recipient. We common people are benefiting a lot from such service of the post office.
Sylhet Chief Post Office Assistant Post Master General Sujit Chakraborty said - 'The current government's commitment was to build a digital Bangladesh. This activity started in the Sylhet division in December 2021. First, this service was launched in the divisional head post office, Upazila post office, and sub-post offices. Step by step, digital services are now being provided in all post offices. As a result, marginalized people are also getting digital services promised by the government through post offices.
He said, "After taking over the project, we have given the necessary training to the employees of the Sylhet main post office, each Upazila, sub and branch post office, including the use of POS machines. Postal officers and employees can now properly serve the service users through training. Now only registry papers and parcels are being issued through POS machines. Later, ordinary letters will also be issued through this machine.
Sujit Chakraborty also said, 'People are not looking for courier services like before, but for post offices. People are benefiting from the post office's digital services. By launching this service, we are getting a massive response from people.
The exchange of letters, documents, or parcels has increased in the post office. Where earlier 600 letters were submitted a day, now more than 1500 letters are submitted. As a result, the government's income is also increasing.
