10th anniversary of Digital Centre observed

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File photo

DHAKA, Nov 11, 2020(BSS)-The 10th year anniversary of Digital Centres, which started its journey on November 11, 2010 with the aim of bringing services to the doorsteps of the people, was observed today.

On this occasion, a conference and a folk music concert were organized over a video conferencing platform, a press release said here.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) minister Md Tajul Islam was present as the chief guest there.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Cabinet Division Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, Local Government Division Senior Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed and UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative Sudipto Mukerjee were present as special guests.

Dr Md Abdul Mannan, PAA, Project Director (Additional Secretary) of the Aspire to Innovate (A2I) programme, delivered the welcoming speech of the event with NM Zeaul Alam, PAA, Senior Secretary, Senior Secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division in the chair.

Anir Chowdhury, Policy Advisor, A2I, also gave a presentation on the activities of Digital Centre.

Addressing as the chief guest, lawmaker Md Tajul Islam said the benefits of Digital Bangladesh have now reached every household in the country.

Despite living in the remote areas, people are getting all the benefits of digitalisation.

He also mentioned that digital platforms have revolutionized people’s lives, as well as, opened new horizons in various fields including education, healthcare, agriculture, industrialization and employment and economics.

Zunaid Ahmed Palakin in his speech said that the vision of Father of the Nation was to develop the country through non-discriminatory society and rural development.

Prime Minister(PM) Sheikh Hasina is working to implement this philosophy, he said, adding that subsequently, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and ICT Affairs Adviser to PM, came up with the plan to implement Digital Bangladesh, according to which the government is currently working on.

He added that digital centres has been playing a vital role in building a non-discriminatory state realizing Bangabandhu’s dream of building a discrimination-free Bangladesh.

In terms of access to services, the distance between the citizens, gender inequality, rich-poor inequality and corruption have been eliminated, he said.

He also added that:”We are working to build high-speed internet, good relations with local administrations and public representatives up to the union level and increase the number of new services in response to the demands of entrepreneurs. We are working to transform this ‘Service Base Platform’ into a ‘Business Hub’, build human resources.”

“We also took the initiative of setting up a digital centre every 2 kms and include 500 services by the year 2025,” he continued.

The conference conducted by Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, Joint-Project Director of A2i and Joint Secretary (e-Governance) of the Cabinet Division.

Certificates were awarded to the best entrepreneurs participating in the “Mujib Borsho E-Sheba Campaign” organized by Digital Centre to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh.

On the event, administrative officers, local representatives and entrepreneurs and service recipients of different districts expressed their views about digital centres highlighting the positive changes that digital centres have brought in the lives of the rural people.

Senior officials from ICT Division, A2i and media personnel were also present during the event.