Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s campaign the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ is now allowing lakhs of people to continue working through online services during this ongoing coronavirus pandemic, said experts on Friday.
“The prime minister has inspired us to dream a digital Bangladesh. And now the dream has come true as a large number of people engaged themselves in their respective jobs using modern ICT based technology during this ongoing Covid-19 crisis,” says an expert.
The experts also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, also Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Advisor, is also working hard to mentor the process of outlining strategies for getting real benefits from digital Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of the Premier amid coronavirus crisis.
The economic disruption caused by COVID-19 and it threatens millions of livelihoods in the country. But, the digital system has kept the business activities alive.
On the other hand, country’s people are also now getting their desired services through digital platforms while students are attending classes through video conference.
And even, farmers living in remote area can know the prices of their agri products. The farmers said they are grateful to the prime minister for making Bangladesh a digitalised country.
Besides, civil societies, businesses, social entrepreneurs, different socio-cultural bodies, politicians, educational institutions also share and exchange ideas and thoughts, and hold meeting and media briefing amid the crisis.
As the Covid-19 has interrupted trade, business, and regular government and non-government activities across the country in March, the total scenario has been changed dramatically, with the distinctive rise of e-commerce, e-learning and other activities through internet.
The experts suggested that online trade, business and learning have been shown to increase retention of information, and take less time to perform the activities.
Besides, in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, people are getting treatment and mental health therapy thorough online
When contacted, former Professor Dr. M. Kaykobad, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology told Bangladesh Post on Friday that digital technology has the potential to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
“But we need to develop and strengthen our digital technology further. While our neighbouring country India has made significant advances in this sector, Bangladesh is still lagging behind. However, thanks to our prime minister whose dynamic leadership has already changed the country’s overall scenario during this coronavirus crisis,” he said.
M. Kaykobad, also distinguished Professor of BRAC University added discrimination between village and cities will have to be reduced by getting the digital facilities during this crisis.
Out of 16.29 crore cell phone consumers some 101186,000 are now using internet in the country.
The netizens are also getting financial, e-commerce, ride sharing and other emergency services.
Besides, the government plans to introduce 5G network in the country.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the telecom and digital technology sector of the country has become a thirst sector for the foreign investment in the last 11 years.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will formulate a comprehensive policy on 5-G mobile network in Bangladesh within 2021-23 as per the election manifesto of the Awami League government, sources in ICT ministry said.
The fifth-generation of mobile internet connectivity promising much faster data download and upload speeds, wider coverage and more stable connections.
It’s all about making better use of the radio spectrum and enabling far more devices to access the mobile internet at the same time.
