Mobile phone is changing the lifestyle of our new generation November 6, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Mobile phone, telecom
10 comments
In Bangladesh, you would hardly see any young people, male or female without a mobile phone. They are using it for communicating with their friends and families, to pass thier time enjoying the music or listening to FM radio, play games, browse the internet, chat or explore the facebook.
Nothing is wrong with all these if the prime job of an individual gets the proper priority. But Mobile phone, the technoligal device of this new era, has created a diversion from the prime objective of the new generatin, specially of the students.
The students are more interested to be unnecessary indulged in useless gossip/chat for hours together, keep themselves aloof from the family and immediate sorrounding and more interested to be in connection with distant people.
Their liking for day and night has changed. They prefer to remain awake to the end of the night and to be busy in their futile exercise, prefer to rise up late in the morning and often miss the classes and their liking for traditional classes deminised than their predicessors.
You are to blame to some extent the telecom companies also for the change of the teens and twenties in their prefence to night.The companies certainly deserve praise for their contribution in bringing the new device to the doors of the people but they, for their own commercial interest, keep the call rate during night unimaginably low to attract the young to pass their night awake.
Only the Government with strong regularity bodies could protect the students from this exploitation by the telecoms in the name of liberalisation of technology but the governments in the past didn’t do so and we are not sure about the future.
An ordinary citizen
Solar Energy: alternative source of energy for Bangladesh May 11, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Solar energy
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Bangladesh is suffering from acute shortage of electricity -to overcome the crisis, Government is mulling developing atomic energy and also utilising other sources.
Under the crisis, an alternative source of energy is expanding in Bangladesh specially in rural Bangladesh -the solar energy in the absence and inadequacy of continuous supply of electricity to the rural people.
Solar energy is a renewable energy without causing pollution to the environment.
In the last 4th January 2009, the Caretaker Government at its fag end, has formulated plans to spread solar facility to more villages, sub urban areas and cities.To support the spread it is suggested to lessen the tariff and taxes from the imported items.
The maximum electricity that a solar panel can produce is 130 Watt(130 wup). By this panel, 11 CFL (compact florescent lamp) of 6 watt power and a 17-20 inches back and white TV can run. Fan conducted on DC current can also be run by this solar energy. To procure a solar panel one has to pay 15% down payment, the rest is covered by installments, total costs stand at Taka 68000. Direct purchase costs 2 thousand 720 less. The maintenance cost for the panel is very low. The companies also give 20-25 years of warranty.
Grameen Sakti and few other companies are working to provide solar energy to the villages in Bangladesh. The companies are also interested to extend the service to the city dwellers.
In this sector , there is scope for both local and foreign investment. There is also scope for both private and public entrepreneurship.
It is learnt that the amount of investment in this energy sector in rural area per year is more than 2500 crore. 60% of this invested in solar panel, total of which requires to be imported from outside. 25% is invested in battery and the rest 15% in small mechanical parts. Batteries and accessories are all produced in the country. In near future, the solar panel will also be produced locally.
According to the insiders of the serving companies- about 20 thousand workers including 5 thousand engineers work in this sector. They hope that 1 lac people will work in this sector by 2015.
Now, more than 3 lac houses (.3m) of 465 upazilla of all the districts and 16 islands are getting the light of solar energy. The beneficiaries of this system is about 30 lac( 3 m). 44 megawatt electricity is produced everyday from the solar projects in Bangladesh.
We hope that the present government will explore the potential of solar energy for Bangladesh and will provide necessary support to develop this industry in the country.
(Sourtce: Prothom Alo, 9 May, 2009)
An ordinary citizen
Links:
Solar Energy Programmes in Bangladesh
Digital Bangladesh -Digital Education February 24, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Computer, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Digital Education, ICT, Internet
2 comments
Mostafa Jabbar, President of Bangladesh Computer Society was discussing with Monir Hussain, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Math Olympiad about ways of achieving Digital Bangladesh in a television discussion.
They stressed that computer is a tool, not a subject. This tool should be utilized to earn knowledge in every subject and in every level of education.
It would have been better if we could provide each student with a computer. As it is not possible, at least every teacher should be provided with a computer. The content and quality of the teaching would then have been changed tremendously.
With computer and internet access, the digital divide between rural and urban will be diminished.
They opined that for Digital Bangladesh, we need Digital Education. They warned that if government fails to understand this, then the dream for Digital Bangladesh would not be materialized.
An ordinary citizen
Towards a Digital Bangladesh December 23, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Computer, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Computer, Digital Bangladesh, ICT
10 comments
Bangladesh is resounding with the target of achieving of digital Bangladesh. In this election days, AL, one of the major political parties,first declared vision 2021 with the aim to develop Bangladesh into a digital country by that the next decade. BNP also added that they started the program in their tenure and will complete it earlier. More than a month ago, the Bangladesh Computer Council also organized a computer fair with the theme ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
A country goes digital means it will be an e-state means all its activities of governance, commerce,education,
agriculture etc will be powered by computer and internet.
It is easy to speak such a dream, but are we committed to achieve this dream? One of the reasons why our country didn’t become digital by this time is because of lack of commitment on the part of our political leaders.
A very first step for ‘Digital Bangladesh’ would be to spread the ICT education throughout the country. Every primary and secondary students should have access to the computer and computer based education. Mid level education & short term training should be readily available throughout the country and higher level education on computer sciences should be qualitative.
Internet facilities should be made available to the remotest corner of the country and at a cheaper rate. There are countries where the use of internet is free. The speed of the internet must be maximum to get the benefit of the time.
A tremendous effort should have to be made and continued in application of the computer and internet by both private and public offices,institutions & organisations in the coming years.
Market is to be broadened in and outside the country in software, outsourcing and programing.
Hardware plant are also needed to be established in our country. For this necessary contact with the international giants and investment will be required to be made.
The caretaker government has tried to give a good support to the establishment of ICT in our country.
We hope that the next governments would keep that trend continued.
An ordinary citizen
Link:
Digital Bangladesh: Going Beyond The Rhetoric- Mridul Chowdhury
Digital Bangladesh & the young- Md. Anwarul Kabir
Towards a Digital Bangladesh-Habibullah N Karim
Education and Vision 2021-Abdul Bayes
Judiciary couldn’t live upto the expectation of the people in Bangladesh November 9, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, GOVERNANCE, JUDICIARY, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: independence of judiciary, separationof Judiciary
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Judiciary was separated from the executive under the caretaker government just over an year after the many years of endevour by the people.
The past political governments didn’t fulfill the pledge of separating the judiciary though they were pledging separation since long.
The separation was also vehemently opposed by Administration cadre of Bangladesh. Ultimately it was separated by the present caretaker government.
People hoped that with the separation of judiciary, it will act independently and will uphold the rule of law. But the people’s expectation was not fulfilled.
It was seen that the long hand of the administration on the judiciary was not over. Political cases including cases of corruption were not dealt unbiased. Bails were given or rejected, the reasons were not clear to the public as well as to experts as well.
To the government, a political compromise becomes more important than the rule of law and punishment of the corrupts and criminals.
It seems that the intention of the government is also imposed on the judiciary.
People are not sure when they will get a judiciary, not only separated but also independent.
The image and independence of the judiciary now absolutely depends on the judges themselves. How perfectly they could uphold the justice and how they could keep themselves above the greed and temptation will determine the image of the judiciary in future.
I liked the idea of the past Chief Justice Mr. Ruhul Amin when he was advocating the dignity and the prestige of the judges in meetings and seminars. Communication with the people is also important. It sometimes clears the confusion in the minds of the ordinary citizens.
The present Chief Justice may also come forward and take the opportunity through different seminars and meetings to communicate with the people.
An ordinary citizen
Post script:
A report on Judiciary [PA]
Case against the above report was filed in the High Court [PA]
Where is the vision for 2020 for Bangladesh? October 5, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: vision 2020, mid-income country
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I was reading the book ‘India 2020 -A vision for the new millennium’ written by Abdul Kalam, father of Indian Space science and former President of India and Y S Ranjan way back in 1998. In this book they sat the vision for India to be achieved by 2020.
The book is actually based on the findings of Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC). About 500 experts of industry,academia,laboratories and government administration were deeply involved in the excercise. Experts and socially aware persons were also participated. about 500 people contributed indirectly through responses to questionnaires and other inputs.
They asserted that ‘a developed India by 2020 or even earlier is not a dream’. After 10 years of the publication of the book India is firmly advancing to that goal.
In the book the authors explore different sectors of the Indian economy and discusses the potentiality, progress and plan to achieve the goal of every sector including food, agriculture & processing, materials including as titanium, aluminum etc, Chemicals including petrolium products, drugs, agrochemicals, textile, manufacturing computer, software, engineering, electronics, transport agents, services covering health, tourism, cultural activities , strategic industries -defense supplies, space programs,nuclear program, Prithvi missile system , Countrywide infrastructure etc.
Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in the early months of his government said that they will publish a guideline for vision 2020 or 2030 for Bangladesh but so far we have not seen any of such publication at the end of his tenure and we have not seen any exercise of the intellectuals or experts in this regard throughout the past months.
It is said that Bangladesh would become a mid-income country by 2020. But where is the vision? Where is the detail analysis of the situation, identification of the problems, defining the strategies? Where is the enthusiasm, cohesion of aspirations and unification of political and social forces?
An ordinary citizen
Nuclear power plant: Bangladesh in search of alternative energy source October 4, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: nuclear energy, nuclear power
3 comments
In the recent visit to China, Chief Adviser to the Caretaker Government has signed an agreement with the Chinese Government for nuclear power plant. Though Daily Star made the information the headline, but it didn’t describe it in details.
Bangladesh has only a nuclear power plant in Rooppur but it could not the see the light of the day since 1961 when the idea was first conceived.[Banglapedia] The inadequacy of the power supply from the indigenous primary sources was felt since then and attempts were made in 1966, 1969, 1972, 1978, 1986 and 1998 to initiate the project. But due to financial and technical constraint, the project couldn’t see the face of the light.
Nuclear energy is now sought in many countries as an alternative source of energy. It is because the conventional sources of energy such as oil,gas, hydroelectricity, coal are exhausting. The alternative sources are nuclear energy and solar energy. Solar energy would be costly to produce in large scale. So nuclear energy is the sought after alternative. In the ongoing presidential race in USA Obama also is advocating for developing alternative energies.
USA is now producing 20% its electricity from nuclear energy.There was 109 power reactor in USA and about 400 in the world. By now, the number is increased many fold. Among our small neighbors, Malaysia and Vietnam started developing their power plant. Within years, they will go into generating nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy is virtually inexhaustible and will be available for hundreds of years. A large plant can generate millions Kw of energy. A major advantage of nuclear energy that it has no carbon emission.
Why Bangladesh couldn’t even start a plant within so many years of independence? Is it mere the lack foresight of the political leaders or commitment on the part of the governments or lack of sponsor to bear the huge cost of the plant or it is part of national and international conspiracy to keep the country always in energy deficit and always in poverty?
An ordinary citizen
Post script:
Dr. Anwar Hussain, former Chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission writes in Daily Star on the ‘Urgency of the nuclear power in Bangladesh’[DS]
A CPD discussion meeting urged the Govertment to go immediately for nuclear power plant[DS]
Bangladesh, software programming and open source September 28, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Computer, ICT, open source software, software
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I was listening to a discussion on NTV with Annana Raihan, CEO, Dnet and two other guests few days ago on the day declared as software day.
Bangladesh has great potentiality in software programming, only it is not exploited to its full extent. The universities,institutions, industries and government could not give adequate support to the nourish the talents.
Attempts are also going on to produce laptop at low price but problem will arise for the software. Now the software we use are costly. Only way to overcome this is to use the open source software. But it is not still popular among he users here. The curriculum, the teaching faculties and the mindset of our institutions are not still adequate for this.
As the piracy of the software will be lessened, there will be no option but to practice open source software which will be gradually popular like Wikipedia. Bangladesh also should go for that.
An ordinary citizen
Post script:
Dr. Mohammad Kaikobad discusses the ‘Programming skill of our youngs’ [PA]
Munir Hasan, GS, Banladesh Math olympiad Committee on programming potentias of our software firms [PA]
Reza Selim, Director, Technology Project for Amader Gram on “Broadband for all’ [PA]
ICT based education- Bangladesh perspective September 25, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Computer, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: ICT, ICT in education
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I was listening to a TV program the other day. Dr. Shamser Ali, Dr. Kaokobad and another doctorate from an university were discussing the ICT based education with Faridur Reza Sagar of Channel Eye.
The discussion was interesting, informative and thought provoking.
Question arises, in a country like Bangladesh where the number of students in each year is increasing more than the number the universities can accommodate, how ICT could help to provide education to this growing number of students. It is said that in developed countries like USA , the universities including Harvard has on-campus and off-campus students. It is through ICT that the off-campus students keep pace with the curriculum of the universities. The off-campus provision can also create the opportunities for the students to continue studies earning by themselves which is very important from Bangladesh perspective.
Dr. Shamsher Ali who was the founder VC of the Open University in Bangladesh narrated how with help of audio-cassette and video cassette they have started their journey in early nineties, later these were replaced by CD and VCD. They have their own studio to produce all those CDs. Open University is a model of conveying education to an unlimited number of students.
To improve the quality of education, ICT could give tremendous support, Best teachers of different institutes can be utilized to prepare different lectures and after recording, those lectures could be aired and distributed among the students for their individual reading or collective discussion.
Open university also arranges video conferences where the students can directly interact with the teachers. The standard of education in open university may also be good, The recent ranking of 100 best universities of South East Asia where the rank of DU is 62nd, Jawhar Lal Nehru Open University is within 20th of the list. This indicates that Open University also could be the seat of good education.
Regarding the discrepancy between the standard of education between the rural and urban education, it is the ICT which could change the gap. They urge to provide computers to all the schools gradually. The shortage of Math and English teachers also could be lessened by the support of ICT. But Dr. Kaokobad said the teaching needs the best students and we should try to attract them by providing better salary and previledges.
Dr. Shamsher urges the government to form a committee of 5 experts to formulate a programs to develop ICT in education in Bangladesh.
We agree with proposal and hope that government will take necessary steps in this regard.
An ordinary citizen
Distressing and disturbing experience with BTTB dialup for internet August 15, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Broadband, BTTB. Grameen internet, Internet
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My broadband connection was disconncted suddenly by my internet provider without any notice few months back. I had to switch over to BTTB dial-up to continue my browsing and blogging. But those days with the BTTB were my worst days of internet.
It was always difficult to get the connection, once you got the connection it is hardly possible to continue for more than few minutes at a stretch and sometimes you might be interrupted even before that. It was hard to download anything, hardly you could send an e-mail and get one down.
When I wanted to look into my accounts, the page of the BTTB was showing ‘under construction’ for months together. This is the level of service of a state network. I was imagining how the government is thinking to revolutionize the ICT in the country by such a poor network system.
After months of agony and pondering which way I should go, I than opted for Mobile internet option. I changed my mobile set to E51 model of Nokia and chose to connect with Grameen prepaid unlimited P2 package.
Before the venture, I was not so sure about the service but now after using for one month I can recommend anyone to opt for Grameen packages for internet.
An ordinary citizen
Low-priced laptop for Bangladesh from ‘Prolog’ August 11, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Computer, EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: low-priced laptop, Prolog
25 comments
The international organisations and individuals were thinking for low-priced loptop popularly known as 100 dollar laptop for developing nations particularly Africa. But this Green laptop when marketed, Bangladesh was not in the list. Intel in parallel also marketed specially designed low-priced laptop for students of USA.
The ordinary citizen also marked a news where he sees that India is also marketing low priced laptop for its young learners in its country. He felt a little frustrated for his own country-Bangladeh. Is there any way out for Bangladesh to get any low-priced computers and laptop which its citizen could afford? He also came accross a site where he sees that computers from developed countries are refurbished and recycled in developed countries. But the beneficieries are the African countries.
His frustation has started to erase when he has come accross the news that a USA-based international organisation of Bangladeshi computer experts ‘Prolog’ has started their project in Bangladesh to produce low-priced computers. In addition, they will provide other ICT related services in Bangladesh.
Microchip expert and chaiman and CEO of Prologe Incorporation Sayesthapir Chowdhury in a teleconference said that when he last came to Bangladesh he felt good seeing Bangladesh is showing interest in application of information technology including internet in education system. But he didn’t see any plan to spread it throughout the country. He thought it is necessary to provide computers at affordable prices to all to achieve the goal.
After coming back to USA, he talked with Intel Corporation. They agreed to supply processor and other accessories of computer at special prices for Bangladesh. Prolog wants to provide all ICT services for students for academic purposes. To do this they are trying to bring down the price of the computers within the capacity of common man.
He said that without improvement in ICT, no development will be possible in Bangladesh. To equip all the students with computer by the year 2020 in Bangladesh, they have taken up a program by the name Vision-2020.To materialise the project, many Bangladeshi experts working in INTEL and other ICT organisations came forward to support the Vision 2020.
Prolog will come initially with 3 models in Bangladesh market-’Affortib’ for students and ‘Standard’ and ‘Performance’ for professionals and others. Processor DUO will be used in ‘Affortib’. The price will be aproximately 35000/-. But the ordianary citizen thinks that the price seems to be higher than the purchasing capacity of common Bangladeshi people. It is not important how latest the processor is, the average processor with lesser price will serve the people better.
Prolog is also thinking to establish an assembling plant in Bangladesh soon and will deliver computers to the south asian market. It will reduce the price of the computer more. In addition of marketing computers in Bangladesh , Prolog will also support software, networking and telecenters. [Source: Prothom Alo; 10th August 2008]
We wish success of Prolog in Bangladesh.
An ordianry citizen
Food security: Bangladesh to adopt seed technology to increase production August 10, 2008
Posted by bdoza in AGRICULTURE, BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, Food Security, GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: seed technology
3 comments
Dr. Abed Chowdhury, an eminent Agriculture Scientist said ‘In Bangladesh 1 to 2 ton rice is produced per hector of paddy field. China and other developed countries in the same size of area produce 8 to 10 hector rice by utilizing modern technology. Population is gradually increasing but not the cultivating land which is causing
the food insecurity. In this background, there is no alternative other than to increase the utilization of technology in the agricultural sector.
He made the comment while speaking on the ways of food security in Bangladesh. He is known as gene scientist as his area of research is seed of crops.
He said that to increase the production of rice we have to bring the new technology to the field level. We have to increase the use of high yielding-’Ufshi’ and hybrid rice.
He added that we should increase the exercise of seed science and technology from the state policy makers to farmers.
He pointed to the incident of Nandigram and said that it has been tried to popularize the Nandigram as a model by saying that villages will be improved by developing supermarkets and industries. Village people will work there. Criticizing this kind of attempt, he emphasizes on the development of the villages by keeping their character intact. He urges to save the agricultural fields.
In the light of his experience in Australia and Europe, he said that there is no alternative to using nature’s power in increasing rice production. Rice cannot be produced in factories. In this situation, agricultural land and technology is only the alternative.
In doing the comparative discussion of high yielding ‘Ufshi’, hybrid and genetically modified (GM) variety, he said that local varieties are selected by natural courses. In hybrids a new variety has been developed by fertilization between male and female variety after selecting from two different types of rice crops. IN GM, DNA from external resource is implanted in a rice seed to develop a new variety. In this way man are using new technologies to improve the production.
In reply to the question that hybrid rice decreases the cultivating power of the land,he said that every crop takes food from land and air. More the yield more the need of food. We have to overcome the need by using the fertilizers and biological materials. [Source; Prothom Alo 10 August 2008]
An ordinary citizen
Bringing Bangladesh into internet age July 12, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Internet
1 comment so far
I first came across the article from the link of ‘The 3rd World View’ that refers to The International Herard Tribune which cited the venture of a
group of Bangladeshi expatriates.
They thought of a plan to bring affordable Internet access to their homeland through a blend of high-end wireless technology and social entrepreneurship. (more…)
Bangladesh budget 2008-09 and ICT sector June 27, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Budget, GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Bangladesh budget 2008-09, ICT
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Budget acknowledges Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) is our thrust sector.[DS]
Taking into account this priority, Government is formulating national e- governance strategy supported by a national ICT road map. But this strategy is not yet declared.
Budget informs that the first phase of infrastructural work of a 231 acre hi-tech park at kaliakoir near Dhaka will be completed by the end of this year. Efforts are underway to attract the private and foreign investors to make investment inn this IT park. India, even West Bengal has more than on IT parks. They are establishing IT parks in small towns also. Bangladesh should advance to that direction. (more…)
‘Bangladesh with a little effort can become a rice exporting country’ June 23, 2008
Posted by bdoza in AGRICULTURE, BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, Food Security, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Food Security, rice production
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Bangladesh can produce seven crore tonnes of rice a year, more than double the present production, by ensuring proper irrigation and use of fertiliser, and bringing cultivable fallow lands under irrigation.
Excessive irrigation for Boro cultivation and lack of it for Aman now drastically reduce the yield of both, Daily star reports.
It is revealed in a study conducted by Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC).
The country now produces around three crore tonnes of rice a year with Boro output 3.66 tonnes per hectare and that of Aman a little above two tonnes. But Boro yield can be raised to six tonnes and Aman output to five tonnes a hectare, the study said.
The major factor behind the wide gap between present yield and potential output of Boro is excessive irrigation, says M Eftekharul Alam, assistant chief engineer of the BADC, who carried out the study for more than two decades
The study concludes that with little effort Bangladesh can transform itself into a rice exporting country.[DS]
An ordinary citizen
Post script:
The editorial of the paper said ‘in the food productivity challenge the modern method is the key’.[...]
Tool for development : one computer for each home May 15, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Computer, ECONOMY, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Computer
3 comments
Today’s is the age of technology. One will prosper how efficiently one is using the technology. It is true for individual as well as for a state. It is obvious that the developed countries are rich in technologies and they are using technologies at different level to get the maximum benefit. The developing nations coul also change their lot by using technologies properly. (more…)
Developing alternatives to conventional media May 9, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Blogging, GOVERNANCE, Media, POLITICS, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: alternative to media, blog, Blogging, Internet, Media
2 comments
I was listening to a talk show few days back where the chairman of Public Service Commission, was telling that the survey they have conducted on quota system for Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) has been given to the journalists and it was hoped that the journalists would summarize and discuss it in the papers and TV channels. (more…)
Bangladesh for major ICT goal April 24, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: ICT
2 comments
The Government has taken major decisions to achieve excellence in ICT to create the required environment for business, education and reseach.
We appreciate the government decision and hope it will be implemented as soon as possible.
The details of the news is here[...]
An ordinary citizen
A day in the Softexpo in Dhaka February 18, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Basis, Software. softexpo
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It was 16th February 2008. I wanted to have a view of the Softexpo exhibition organized by BASIS in the China–Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre.
It was a grand assembly of the organizations beyond my expectations.
Stalls were more than 150 and of different categories. But most of the them are those who are working on software development. They are developing business and other solutions.
There are organizations who are working on outsourcing. Hope that outsourcing will be increased with time in Bangladesh and would be a good source of income for our IT industry.
Works is also advancing in animation. Projects are also ongoing for products of animation for other countries.
University students are also demonstrating their skill in software development. The enthusiasms in the students are praiseworthy. A student from IIUC developed a giant robot which has drawn attention of many and a contact is undergoing with a company in Australia.
A stall also demonstrating a device to identify fake notes from the real ones and which may be of use in treasuries, banks and business organizations.
I also stepped in ‘somewhere in’ where in the middle of the room a rickshaw was displayed to project their given importance on the local culture. ‘Somewhere in’ is the bangla blog platform which has magnified bangla bogging many a times. Rashid Zaman, a young chap with the responsibility of head of communication demonstrated me their objectives and mode of work.
In the seminar hall, there were a number of discussion groups were exploring the possibilities between local organizations and foreign partners. When I was in there was a Danish team, a Japanese delegate and UK representatives busy in discussion with possible local partners.
I was impressed with the show. People are working hard in the sector without much corporate support and governmental patronization.
Over the years, governments were more rhetorical than doing something more substantial. They may cite some of the deeds they have accomplished, but in comparison to other counties, those are not comparable.
The ordinary citizen feel that it is one the areas where Bangladesh would shine if get proper nourishment.
An ordinary citizen
Adoption of ICT in all sectors must be allout and rapid for Bangladesh February 15, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Chief Adviser, ICT, Internet, IT
2 comments
Chief Adviseer Fakruddin Ali Ahmed acknowledged while inaugurating SOFTEXPO exhibition on 14 February 2008 that despite some successes, the adoption of ICT in all sectors have been so far poor.
He also informed that Government has identified some key reasons:
a) lack of awareness what ICT could offer
b) insufficient telecommunication infrastructure and Internet connectivity
c) Expensive Internet access
d) absence of adequate legal and regulatory framework
e) shortage of required manpower
Government has taken few steps to rectify the condition:
a) to get connected with the second submarine cable
b) framing of the national broadband policy
c) reduction of bandwidth price
d) arrangments for alternative fibre optic connection between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazaar
e) preparations are going on for issuance of licenses for call centres, IP telephone, WIMAX and 3G
He said that Government is committed to form an effective information society in the country. It is about bridging the digital divide and connecting the unconnected.
But the adoption of ICT for all sectors should be allout and rapid for Bangladesh. We are already in backfoot. We are far behind than many of our neighbours. A comprehensive strategy must be adopted to overcome this.
The government and non-government organisations all should go to the Internet. For exchange of information Internet should be the mode. Software should be encouraged to be made by the local individuals and institutions and be preferred for applicaion in the local industries. Adequate training facilities must be available at the institution and university level. Job opportunities must be created for skilled people. Linkage with the outside countries and out sourcing should be created. Government in all these arenas would provide leading role but private sectors then could supplement this.
Government could also take the support of the NRBs. In many areas public and private partnership will yeild better result.
The present caretaker government, we hope, will take necessary steps to take Bangladesh to the information super highway in all sense.
An ordinary citizen
Post script:
Danish IT expert suggests policy change to tap ICT potential [DS]
Infrastructure needed to attract global IT giants[DS]
Bangladesh
