Information and Tele-communication: Hope of a New Bangladesh

After taking oath, this government has taken several development initiatives to digitalize the country. One of them is initiating Switching and Access Network which enables this march towards development disseminated all over the country. With this network, several programs, like E-Commerce, E-Science, E-Governance, E-Health and E-Agriculture are up and running. Government has also started constructing high-powered transmitters, IP network, IP Backbone (ONS) to ensure high speed internet network around the country. Bangladesh Tele-communications Company Limited (BTCL) will implement the projects under supervision of Telegram and Tele-communications Ministry.
To extend the blessings of internet, Ministry of ICT has decided to get connected to the second submarine cable with 1400 bandwidth. Meanwhile, the construction of landing station at Patuakhali is going on. In early 2016, Bangladesh will be connected to the second submarine cable.
Government is now planning to turn the whole country as a WiFi zone collaborating with TeleTalk, the only nationalized telecom company in Bangladesh. Under this project, TeleTalk’s 2G and 3.5G network will spread to the grass root level of the country. It’s expected that, implementing this project will enable the 160 million people of the country to enjoy the benefits of ‘Digital Bangladesh’. Bangladesh will become a modern, knowledge based and tech-friendly developed country.
Government has also initiated to bring the civil administration’s service under automation. Under this service, providing pension, budget management, leave and disciplinary services of officers, annual confidential report and personal information management and other services will be completed with more transparency.
In the meantime, the PMIS database containing personal and service information of BCS cadres ranked as Deputy Secretary and above is modernized. In addition, 29 thousand 558 officers from every cadres have registered online.
Youths of Bangladesh are in the driving seat of this digitalization process. To encourage them in outsourcing and to be a part of the economy, government has decided to provide loan to students for a buying laptop computers.
State Minister of Telegram, Tele-communication and Information Technology ministry Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, “Rupali Bank and PKSF have given their consent to provide loan to students for buying laptop computers. More banks and donor agencies will be included in this project.”
The current government and Bangladesh Awami league is determined to move forward. Government believes that in this 21st century, to keep our young minds lacking in technological knowledge is not an option. These steps of government are very timely and we hope that, before 2041, Bangladesh will claim its place in the developed world.