The idea of 'Digital Bangladesh' has passed its seventh year of journey with several challenges and achievements. The concept of digitalization of the state was moving around the year in 2015 with its mother platform of Access to Information(a2i) programme under Prime Minister's office in Bangladesh.
The technology experts think the Digital Bangladesh concept will come to realize when all the public services of the state will go digital.
"The Digital Bangladesh is going towards its journey to a full technology-based state within 2021. It is very challenging for us to achieve the goal within timeline as any ministry of the government can't declare themselves as fully digitized authority in last seven year of the concept," said Mustafa Jabbar, former president of Bangladesh Computer Samity(BCS).
The veteran technology expert think the goal of tech based state will remain dream it the education system will not reshaped.
Mustafa also said," One seven percent of boys and one percent of girls student in computer science in public universities are making their dream to be a programmer. If we cannot develop the human resources through educational institute, the so called programme on technology skill development as well as software development will go astray."
There are many happenings with the raw of the technology Internet were buzzes around the days of the outgoing year.
The centre of Digitalization of the state, a2i has been recognized by international community. In early February, the government has launched the first ever Optical Character Reader (OCR) un association with a2i programme .
The Google street view began its journey in Bangladesh on February 5. If you want to have a detailed look at Bangladesh and its roads, Google's street view is now at your service. For the first time Dhaka and Chittagong city are now available in Google street view as of 21 January 2015. Now you can spot any location or landmark in these cities and alongside Dhaka-Chittagong highway using Google street view.
High-tech park project finally begins its journey this year. After a long impasse in the process, construction has finally begun at the country's largest high-teck park situated at Kaliakoir, Gazipur. Work on Janata Park Software Park has also gone underway this year. Process has also taken up speed for other 13 potential high-tech park locations including Khulna, Jessore, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Nilphamari.
A2i has come to an agreement with the Maldives government to support the digitalization of the neighbored country. The high ups of those countries made exchange trip among each other to follow the footprint of Bangladesh in digitalization of the national services.
The FreeBasics, an free internet access to selected websites, was introduced in Bangladesh on second week of May by social media giant Facebook.
The service was introduced by alone operator although the government was directly involved with process of the service. Subscribers of mobile phone operator Robi are using the service through the Internet.org app, an invention of the social media platform Facebook. More than 25 million people are using this free internet service from Robi in Bangladesh.
The service innovation fund has passed the 6th round signing up new 30 individuals and companies. The technology expert thinks there will be more supervision of the innovation funding as there is a little number of projects turned reality.
The a2i programme again earned international recognition in the last year. The National Information Portal developed by the a2i Program has received the World Summit On information Society Award 2015 under the 'Access to Information and Knowledge' category. A press conference was organized in this regard in the Korobi Hall at the Prime Minister's Office where Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office, highlighted key aspects of the National Information Portal.
Government of Bangladesh recently has announced that it will accelerate its transition from cash to digital payments, marked by a new partnership with the 'Better Than Cash' Alliance.
Government plans to digitize all forms of social safety payments to citizens, and all forms of fees that citizens make to the government for services. This deal with Better Than Cash will enable the digitization of domestic and international remittances and financial transactions for e-commerce.
On early September, the Rajdhani Unnayon Kartipakkha, an authority to development of the capital Dhaka, started its journey with technology based
The a2i has signed up with the postal division to strengthen the service of postal e-centre to contribute to national growth of economy.
The Fenox Venture Capital, a Silicon Valley-based firm, launched its Bangladesh operations on early December. The venture capital firm can contribute a great deal to developing an IT investment culture in Bangladesh and fuel long-term growth in the ICT sector, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT, said at the launching programme of the service.
The Digital Bangladesh is now on a midway of its vision. Another five years to go to achieve the goal of a technology driven state.