By Zahid Hossain
KHULNA, June 12, 2021(BSS) – A unique cybernetic system, developed by the Khulna District Administration, is playing a vital role in combating corona virus (Covid-19) in Khulna.
“Keeping pace with the whole country, we’ve taken various information and communication technology (ICT)-based initiatives to prevent the lethal virus,” Khulna deputy commissioner (DC) Md Helal Hossain told BSS recently.
He said the four dimensional key activities — management, monitoring, coordination and innovation — are being conducted by the district administration even in ongoing corona virus crisis, and these initiatives have been highly appreciated across the country.
The innovative programmes, based on different digital apps and software, are ensuring maximum use of ICT information to battle the outbreak of corona virus, Helal said.
These cybernetic apps, launched in the last 11 months, are helping to tackle the corona virus outbreak, the DC said.
The digital apps and software are – ‘Emergency Medical Services Khulna (Health Management)’, ‘Non-Government Humanitarian Assistance Cell’(Relief Distribution), ‘Door to Door Khulna (D2DK)’, ‘Hater Muthoy Kucha Bazar’, ‘Digital Sundarbans Protein House’, ‘Ghore Bose Krishi Bazzar Kori’, the digital apps-based agriculture, poultry and dairy management, ‘Krishoker Hashi’ and ‘Digital Rice Procurement’.
The other platforms include the digital apps-based paddy procurement from the farmers, ‘Digital Primary Education Khulna’ and Digital Secondary Education Khulna’, an Interactive Online Teaching platform based on YouTube channel and two Facebook Page, ‘Online Medicine Mart Khulna’ and ‘Online Qurbani Hat Khulna’, a website and mobile app.
Helal said that the ‘Emergency Medical Services Khulna’ app has been introduced under the programme ‘Providing Home to Emergency Medical Service in Corona Crisis through Digital System’ of district administration in collaboration with Khulna Shishu Hospital.
‘Non-Government Humanitarian Aid Cell’ has been set up aiming to provide food aid to the doorsteps of the destitute people, while ‘Door 2 Door Khulna (D2DK) app has been launched for people who can seek for essential goods maintaining their privacy and secrecy.
Three digital apps — ‘Haater Muthoy Kuncha Bazzar,’ ‘Sundarbans Protein House’ and ‘Ghore Bose Krishi Bazaar Kori’ — have been introduced for making the whole process transparent digitally as well as marketing of the agriculture, poultry and dairy goods so that marginal farmers are benefited by getting fair prices.
The DC said that ‘Digital Rice Procurement’ app has been launched for the first time in Bangladesh with an aim to coordinate with the government’s rice procurement activities, ensuring transparent and easy financial transactions.
Through this, he said, rice is being procured transparently from real millers subject to the terms and condition of the contract, creating corruption-free environment for financial transactions.
Responding to rising demand, an online education system has been introduced for the students as the educational institutions remain closed due to the lockdown enforced to halt the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the DC said.
Helal said Khulna district administration, in collaboration with the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and the Directorate of Primary Education, has launched two dedicated ICT-based recorded educational video contents on YouTube channels and Face book pages for secondary and higher secondary students.
Besides, he said, Sundarbans Online School has started online classes for the students in Khulna with a view to continuing their study and containing the spread of corona virus.
The DC said the district administration also launched a digital cattle market mobile app for selling and buying sacrificial animals in last Eid-ul Azha, keeping in mind the health and safety of the farmers and buyers during the dominant situation of corona virus outbreak.