FULL REPORT
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
ICT : Information Communication Technology
PWDs : Persons With Disabilities
WTO : World Trade Organizations
e-Commerce : electronic- Commerce
GOB : Government of Bangladesh
MW : Micro-Wave
UHF : Ultra High Frequency
BTTB : Bangladesh Telephone at Telegraph Board.
PDB : Power Development Board.
REB : Rural Electrification Board.
NII : National Information Infrastructure
ISP : Internet Service Providers.
VOIP : Voice Over Internet Protocol
WLL : Wireless Local Loop
BTRC : Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
PGC : Power Grid Company
NGO : Non-Govt. Organizations
MOSICT : Ministry of Science Information and Communication Technology
GII : Global Information Infrastructure.
1. Introduction:
With the application of information technology, dissemination and capacity to integrate
and absorb human knowledge have grown immensely. The Internet and related technology, ICT,
have facilitated information and knowledge to flow across the geographical boundaries of
the countries and have made it accessible to people at minimal cost. With the advancement
of ICT, now-a-days knowledge assumes the role of factor of production, in addition to
capital, land, labor and management and contribute tremendously towards economic
development of a country. Data, information, knowledge and action are correlated. Data
become information through context and information become knowledge through networking.
The transformation of tacit and implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge form is
critical for exploiting knowledge potentials of an organization. Knowledge resides in
tacit, implicit and explicit form and ICT plays a pivotal role in harnessing and
disseminating knowledge for development and empowerment of people.
1.2. In developing countries, knowledge contributes to a significant share of a total
value-added of programme activities. The fundamental goal of capacity development can be
achieved through a systematic development and deployment of knowledge management system at
all levels or strata of institutions, both public and private. To exploit the full
potential of knowledge management for development, a sound national policy of ICT and the
involvement of all strata of the population, including persons with disabilities (PWDs) is
essential.
1.3. ICT encompasses the broad fields of data/information processing, disseminating and
communicating by means of computer and tele-communication techniques. Over the last few
years, many nations have exploited full advantage of the opportunities afforded by ICT
within a policy framework, as a part of the overall national development plan. Bangladesh
also intends to use ICT as the key-driving element for socio-economic development.
1.4. The ICT policy of Bangladesh aims at building an ICT-driven nation comprising of
knowledge-based society. With this end in view, it is envisaged to develop a country-wide
ICT infrastructure to ensure access to information by all citizen, including the PWDs, for
sustainable economic development using all sorts of on-line ICT enabled sources.
1.5 Objectives of the national policy of ICT are as follows:
1.5.1 In order to give a thrust to the ICT sector and expeditious development of
Software industry and its export required infrastructural facilities and legal framework
will be created.
1.5.2 Provide effective incentives for development of ICT sector to both local and
foreign entrepreneurs; Incentives may be given to the local and foreign entrepreneurs in
the following form :
1) Tax-holidays for 5 to 10 years
2) Procurement of tele-communication infrastructural materials related to ICT from
abroad/local with minimum/without taxes/custom duty for promotion of ICT.
3) Repatriation of income by the foreign investors etc.
1.5.3 Develop an efficient ICT infrastructure that provides open access to
international and national network;
1.5.4 Promote and facilitate use of ICT in all sectors of the economy for transparency,
good governance and efficiency improvement;
1.5.5 Establish legislative and regulatory framework for ICT issues like IPR, data
security and protection, digital signature, e-Commerce, ICT education etc. as well as to
ensure quality ICT education provided by different private organizations
1.5.6 Set up national databases that are reliable and easily accessible to all the
people of the country;
1.5.7 Promote use of ICT by providing special allocations for ICT project
implementation in the public sector. Train the decision makers in ICT use and promote a
ICT culture;
1.5.8 Develop a large pool of world class ICT professionals to meet the needs for local
and global markets;
1.5.9 Set up a very high quality ICT institution to continuously promote and foster ICT
Industry;
1.5.10 Enact Laws and Regulations for uninterrupted growth of ICT, in conformity with
World Trade Organization (WTO) stipulations.
2. Current ICT Infrastructure:
Government of Bangladesh (GOB), with an and to exploit the full potentials of ICT, has
undertaken at number of steps for ICT infrastructural development which are as follows.
2.1 In order to establish direct connectivity with international and communication back
bone, process of joining of Bangladesh with fiber-Optic Sub-marine cable net work is
underway.
2.2 For better connectivity, importance of development of telecommunication
infrastructure has been emphasized and deemed as industrial development to support the
growing demands of the ICT sector, both in Public and Private sector. Initiatives are also
underway to attract private sector investors in the telecommunication sector.
2.3 Steps to amend fiscal policy (Customs Duty and Tax etc.) towards procurement of
telecommunication infrastructures as well as cellular telephone handset which are
increasingly used as terminals for e-mail are also under consideration of the GOB.
2.4 Optimum utilization of MW/UHF towers, Radio Towers, Power Pylons, Cable Duct by the
private sector for augmenting information infrastructure would be encouraged. Moreover,
for promotion of ICT, co-operation between Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board
(BTTB,) Railways, power Development Board (PDB), Rural Electrification Board (REB), power
Grid company, Oil and gas Companies etc. to build digital microwave and optical fiber
based phonic information transport system for use by ICT servic providers to be
encouraged.
2.5 To construct countrywide National Information Infrastructure (NII) for the use of
all Telecommunication and Internet Service Providers (ISP), co-operation between BTTB with
private licensed ICT service providers ensuring the use of existing facilities to be
established.
2.6 BTTB's role of providing services to different telecommunication service provider
and ISPs of commercial basis being enhanced.
2.7 To provide dial-up Internet access from local telephone calls, ISP, will be
provided with relevant technological facilities.
2.8 To ensure public access to information, cyber kiosks will be set-up in all post
offices, union complex and upazila (Sub-district) complexes. Private sector Participants
will be encouraged to set-up these facilities.
2.9 To support the installation of ISPs in the country, national high speed
communication back-bone for Internet will be developed and International high-speed
gateway facilities for ISPs will be provided on commercial basis.
2.10 An integrated flexible and reliable nation-wide information communication network
capable of transmission voice, audio, Video, data and graphic will be ensured. NII will be
developed and it will be directly connected to Global Information Infrastructure through
Information superhighway to create, collect and sell software and provide ICT enabled
services to the world market through involvement of both Public and private Sectors.
2.11 To improve the quality of present telecommunication services, all existent analog
telephone-switches and transmission link network will be replaced by digital switches and
digital transmission link.
2.12 The bandwidth capacity and availability will be ensured all over the country at a
reasonable cost to encourage the growth of Internet, ICT industries, e-commerce and
e-governance etc.
2.13 A central depository for collection and dissemination of ICT information and
research finding will be developed. This will he done under a network, connecting all
university libraries and research organization to this central depository, which in turn
will be connected to the Internet.
2.14 Hi-Tech Zones will be established through technology transfer with modern data
communication facilities.
2.15 Use of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
technologies will be used where necessary.
2.16 Basic telecommunication facilities will be extended to the rural and under-served
areas to bring greater mass including PWDs into the stream of ICT activities both by the
private and public sector.
2.17 Tele communication facilities will be made available to all segments of the
society, particularly to the PWDs at an affordable/cost.
2.18 Teledensity will be increased to broaden the coverage, making special effort to
provide facilities to the PWDs ensuring improvement of socio-economic condition of the
people through ICT related activities in line with experience of developed conditions
3. Major ICT issues and concern.
3.1 In the absence of Internet exchange in the country at present inter- ISP
communication has become time consuming and costly. This problem need to be addressed by
establishing Internet exchange.
3.2 Measures to be taken for deregulation of the telecommunication, to facilitate
private sector investors to establish appropriate ICT infrastructure immediately in
meeting this growing demand of ICT sector,
3.3 Joining of Bangladesh with internationals Fibre Optic Sub-Marine Cable Network is
highly essential to establish direct connectivity with international information and
communication backbone.
3.4 Introduction of favourable fiscal policy in favour of establishing
telecommunication infrastructural facilities with less cost and to make cellular telephone
devices available at a reasonable price.
3.5 To make the use of ICT and information services affordable to the people, cost of
carriage, infrastructure and services should be provided by the multiplicity of
enterprises like BTTB, Bangladesh Railways, PDB, REB etc. For enhancing information
infrastructure, their facilities like land, MW/UHF towers, radio towers, cable duct etc.
to be allowed for optimal use by private sector. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory
Commission (BTRC) should co-ordinate these activities.
3.6 Different organizations, like PDB, REB, PGC, oil and gas companies etc. who are
allowed to construct infrastructure to build digital micro-wave and optical fibre based
photonic information transport systems should allow their facilities for use of ICT
service providers.
3.7 BTTB will increasingly provide services to all other telecommunication service
providers and ISPs on commercial basis.
3.8 Hi-Tech zones to be established with foreign collaboration having for software
technology park facilities for development and export of softwares.
3.9.1 Presently used Bangla computing environments are not Unicode compliant, and hence
there is a need to develop a Unicode Compliant Bangla Computing system that will allow us
to conform to the international languages standard facilitating common office applications
so that word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail and internet browsers can display Bangla
content. The internationally accepted Unicode Standard that incorporates the Bangla
character set makes this possible. The Bangla computing system may be made affordable
making the digital divide using Linux.
3.10 There is a growing demand for recognition of the use of Voice Over Internet
Protocol (VOIP) since international telephone communication can be made easily with much
cheaper cost by using internet facilities. This is under consideration of the government.
3.11. ICT policy has been adopted by the GOB and formation of ICT Act is underway,
Establishment of ICT incubator is in operation which will facilitate production and
marketing of software and software related material from the same venue.
3.12. Framing of regulatory and lagislative framework to address issues like data
security and protection, digital signature, e-commerce etc. as well as ensure quality ICT
education provided by different private organsations is under way.
4. Suggested Elements of Empowerment Strategies:
4.1 Facilities shall be built to promote ICT training and computer aided training at
all level of education to meet the demand for skilled manpower in ICT. Special type of
training facilities enabling PWDs, to transform them efficient human resource in ICT,
should be provided. All educational institutions related to the PWDs should be brought
under the programme of ICT. Ministry of Social Welfare, in collaboration with all the NGOs
working with the PWDs, will play the key role in implementing this programme.
4.2. Universities, Technical institutes and colleges, both in the public and private
sectors, shall be strengthened to produce ICT graduates of International standard in
computer science with the support of government. Preference for study will be given to the
PWDs in those institutions.
4.3. To train teachers in ICT in large numbers, using the present infrastructure,
development of virtual ICT trainers, wherever possible will be explored CD and Web based
courseware development and its use shall be encouraged to promote computer -aided
education at all level of education. PWDs will be provided special incentives to have
maximum access to these facilities.
4.4. The Universities of Science and Technologies will be established in phases as
center of excellence in ICT and these will be provided with higher allocation of
resources. PWDs will be able to exploit full advantages of the available facilities to
enrich them as efficient human resource in the field of ICT.
4.5. Multimedia institutes up to district level will be established to produce skilled
human resources to exploit the opportunity offered by the growing multi-media market.
Underprivileged people living in the district level including the PWDs will be able to
exploit the opportunity.
4.6 Moreover, special type diploma and trade certificate course on ICT will be offered
in both private and public institutions with special courses for the PWDs and continual
skill upgrading of existing professionals working in public and private sectors shall be
ensured through in-service training programmes.
4.7 To ensure standard and quality of ICT education, a national certification and
accredition system shall be developed and implemented.
4.8 To develop quality ICT professionals and skilled personal, internationally accepted
standards in training programmes will be adopted to ensure access in the global soft-ware
and ICT enabled service market.
4.9 Potential of ICT will be used for delivery of distance education to help stretch
the country's limited teaching resources and ensuring quality teaching to all. This system
will facilitate the PWDs to have access to education and skill development training on
ICT.
5. Funds and Resources for ICT.
5.1 It has been envisaged to increase the government spending in ICT to at least 2% of
ADP by 2006. New budget provision for ICT should be created for all Ministries, Division,
Department and all autonomous sector will be encouraged to make their own investment in
the application of ICT production, trade and services. Preference will be given for public
support to those who will be able to meet up to 20 percent of its revenue expenditure from
the earning of export of software and ICT enabled services.
5.2 More focus in the use of ICT is to improve the socio-economic condition of the
people, particularly the PWDs with special importance on health care, poverty alleviation
and agricultural development, social welfare, environment, transportation, e-commerce,
e-governance etc.
5.3 It has been envisaged to introduce nationwide ICT systems for rural development
activities, agricultural, horticulture, fisheries and livestock extension for farmers,
career guidance for youth, technology guidance for rural enterprises micro-level planning
etc. 10% of our population is disable. PWDs will be actively encouraged with financial and
technical support in all such activities for full exploitation of the ICT facilities for
the improvement of the quality of their lives.
5.4 Non-government organizations dealing with the PWDs will be encouraged to establish
centres at the village level for providing hard ware/soft ware or other support services.
At the same time concerned agencies of the government will use both the formal and
non-formal channels to disseminate information about the application, advantages to the
PWDs of the use of ICT.
5.5 In the health sector, tele-medicine system Network will be introduced throughout
the country for cost effective delivery of health care services. The tele-medicine Network
will be used for rural patient management, distant medical education, training of health
professionals and to develop mass awareness for disease prevention. ICT would be used to
develop such capabilities. PWDs, properly trained in ICT, will be able to exploit the full
advantage of tele-health care facilities..
5.6 In fine, Persons with Disabilities will be provided with full support to build up
their capacity, enabling their full accessibility to ICT ensuring their full and effective
participation in the social and economic mainstream with equality. Moreover, steps will be
undertaken for the empowerment of PWDs to promote their full involvement as development
agents and beneficiaries in ICT through bringing them accessible to digital connection.
6. ICT Policy Monitoring
6.1 To make the best utilization of ICT and exploit its immense potential in the
economic, social, commercial and scientific fields, a National ICT Task Force, headed by
the Hon'ble Prime Minister, has been formed and this apex body provide guidance in
updating, standardizing, implementing and monitoring the ICT policy.
6.2 The Ministry of Science and Information and communication Technology (MOSICT)
collaborate with all ministries/Divisions/Departments/ Banks and Insurance companies to
promote the use of ICT in their respective areas of operation. The ministry also work in
unison with the private sector and Universities as promoter of ICT activities and
Business.
7. Conclusion:
7.1 The immense potential of ICT and its vast field of application has opened-up a new
horizon towards expansion of export market. Export of different soft wares to the
developed countries can contribute significantly in earning foreign currency. Like many
other countries in the South-East and South Asian region, Bangladesh, as well as other
developing countries, may also take the opportunity to eradicate poverty enhancing the
income of the people equitably through the optimum exploitation of the potential ICT in a
very short time.
7.2 To accelerate the process of economic development through export of software and
data processing, expansion of infrastructural facilities (Establishment of the
Connectivity by Fibre Optic Marine Cable Network with International communication
backbone), development of human resources on ICT, with special emphasis to PWDs,
facilitation of the availability of cellular phone and computer at an affordable cost
without imposition of much taxes, allocation of more resources in the national budgetary
provision for development of ICT and ICT related activities are essential pre-requisites.
Moreover, expansion of telecommunication net-work and facilities to the rural areas (to
broad- base the economy through ICT) through fibre optic transmission capabilities,
establishment of more linkages of National Information Infrastructure (NII) with Global
Information Infrastructure (GII) are also of vital importance. Pragmatic steps towards
these ends will enable the developing countries, including Bangladesh, to achieve faster
economic development and growth on sustainable basis.
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