90pc Public Services to Be Digitized by 2021

Reiterating the government's plan to ensure access to the internet for all, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said Saturday digitalization of 90 percent of the public services will be completed this year.

''People will not have to go from door to door for services, rather services will be made available at the hands of the people,'' he said while addressing a press conference to mark 12 years of implementation of Digital Bangladesh at BCC auditorium of Agargaon ICT Tower.

Senior Secretary of ICT Division N M Zeaul Alam, Managing Director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority Hosne Ara Begum, Project Director of A2I Programme Dr. Abdul Mannan also spoken at the function, while it was moderated by Policy Adviser of LICT Project Sami Ahmed.

Palak said the strong ICT infrastructure built during the last 12 years has made it possible to continue office works, businesses, education and health activities during the Covid-19 situation.

The government has developed different digital platforms including corona portal, Covid-19 tracer, Covid-19 tracker, food for the nation, health for the nation to face corona, he said.

The state minister said as part of its plan to digitize 2800 public services the government has made available over 600 services online and more than 1152 services are under the process of digitization.

''The government has already introduced e-office aiming to reduce the use of paper and pen and bring dynamism in office works,'' he said adding more than 90,000 government officials of 8000 offices are using e-nothi and so far settled 10.43 million file using e-nothi system.

The state minister said a total of 6790 digital centers set up across the country have provided 540.85 million services to the citizens.

''The government is going to set up 39 hi-tech/IT parks which would be the lifeline of the digital economy,'' he said, adding business operation has started in the already-built 5 hi-tech/IT parks.

Unveiling the plan to develop IT skilled human resources the state minister said the government has set up Sheikh Russel Digital Lab in 7728 educational institutions to acquire knowledge about IT. More than 5000 such labs and 300 schools will be established soon in the future, he said.

Palak said the government has developed 15 lakh skilled human resources through providing training during the last 12 years and now training is going on frontier technologies including blockchain, robotics, AI, AR, VR, Cloud Computing, 3D printing to use the potentials of the fourth industrial revolution. The number of employees would be 20 lakh in the ICT sector by this year, he added.

''We are working to develop startup and innovation culture and providing co-working space for the startup. Besides, innovation hub is being built in 138 universities,'' he added.