The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) has approved a proposal to purchase 85,000 laptops for educational institutions in order to build a digital Bangladesh.
As a part of its move, the government will procure laptops, web cameras, routers and network switches for establishing Sheikh Russell Digital Labs in some 5,000 educational institutions in the country.
The approval came from 11th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) of this year held virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Kamal said the CCGP meeting today (Thursday) approved two separate proposals from the ICT Division and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
Answering to a question, he said that the purchase proposal of laptops and other equipment is divided in various segments and it would be possible to reveal the details of the contractors once the summarized version is available.
Joining the briefing virtually, Dr Shahida Akhter, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary, informed that some 85,000 laptops, 5,000 web cameras, 5,000 routers and 5,000 network switches would be procured by the Department of ICT for supplying those to the Sheikh Russell Digital Labs to be set in some 5,000 education institutions at a cost of around Tk 487.21 crore.
These laptops and other equipment will be procured under the project for establishing Sheikh Russell Digital Labs (2nd phase).
Replying to a question, Shahida said this procurement would be made following the rules and regulations of the government.
She said the day’s meeting approved another proposal for awarding the package No W-2 and W-5 to Padma Associates and Engineers Ltd for constructing a multi-storey building on the Officers’ Club, Dhaka campus with a cost of around Tk 164.14 crore.
Prior to the CCGP meeting, the meeting on the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was held virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.
The meeting approved a proposal in principle to procure radar system and other equipment for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with own fund of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority instead of the fund from the government of Bangladesh.
It has been learnt that in order to build a digital Bangladesh, human resource development initiatives have been taken to establish the necessary infrastructure of information and communication technology in education to improve the quality of ICT education across the country.
ECNEC passed the project in July last year.
Each of these digital labs will have a laptop, a webcam, a router, a network switch, a table (for instructor), a chair (for instructor), 16 tables and 32 chairs.
