State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has transformed a poor underdeveloped country into a developing technology-dependent digital Bangladesh in just 13 years. As a result of honesty, bravery and foresight, the common citizens of every village are getting civic services in the city. The Prime Minister has set a new example of humanity in the history of the world by giving shelter to one million citizens of Myanmar.
Information and Communication Technology sector has transformed the entire country in the last 13 years, digital centers, digital education system, digital agriculture system, health system, administrative activities, judicial activities, business and commerce have made life easier for people by using modern technology.
Today, Bangladesh has 130 million internet users, more than 2000 digital services, delivery of government services to people's reach, employment of 20 million young women has been confirmed in the ICT sector. This government has been able to develop the technology industry as a new industry today.
ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said these things while inaugurating the Digital Village Center organized by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization at Tulatali village of Ukhiya Ratnapalong Union of Cox's Bazar at 9:30 am on Friday as the chief guest.
The State Minister said the first task of this center will be to create relationship between farmers and buyers of produce. Besides, this DVC will play a helpful role in disease prevention, market price and marketing of products by providing agricultural information through online.
Government is setting up Digital Village Cum Aggregation Center to market the produce of farmers in marginal areas at right time and fair price through online communication.
He said, "The country is moving forward under the leadership of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. There have been a lot of changes in the village of 13 years ago and today's village. This has only been possible due to the government's dedicated efforts due to digitalization."
He also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, every citizen and village of the country will be turned into smart citizens, smart villages and by 2041, Bangladesh will be turned into an innovative, affordable, advanced, modern, smart Bangladesh.
The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific developed this framework to support existing and potential digital villages, increase farm productivity and profitability, and combat hunger, poverty and inequality in rural farming communities.
Smallholder farmers linked to FAO's Digital Village initiative can access various e-services from public and/or private actors. Apart from that, it can serve as a platform for information exchange and knowledge-sharing among farmers, groups and communities. With further transformation, it can be an entry point for digitalisation, employment generation including youth men and women, modernization of agriculture and increase in income.
There are a total of 60 digital villages in Barisal, Rangpur and Cox's Bazar. These digital villages are being managed by producer organizations and operate 57 virtual call centers to aggregate products for collective marketing and facilitate bulk procurement of agricultural inputs. These digital villages promote 23 digital agriculture applications developed or supported by the government; They provide digital literacy training to rural farmers so that they can take advantage of new opportunities. Digitizing the agricultural value chain, especially for small-scale producers, requires business acumen, FAO provides a full range of support in this area – from production to distribution.
Earlier, State Minister Palak spoke to the marginal farmers and talked about the produce.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Naseem Ahmed also spoke in the opening ceremony. After the ceremony, State Minister Junaid Ahmad Palak visited the digital center of Ratnapalong Union Parishad and exchanged views with the public representatives.
