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Workshop on empowering rural areas through CeC held
A two-day workshop on 'Empowering Rural Areas through Community e-Centre' was held on June 18 and 19 in the capital aiming at raising awareness among key stakeholders on the project. The Ministry of Science and ICT (MoSICT), Asian Development Bank, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) under the project titled 'Empowering Rural Areas through Community eCenters (CeC)' jointly organised the workshop. The workshop discussed the findings of the country's baseline study, share best practices and lessons learned and recommend a CeC model for Bangladesh, says a press release. "Bangladesh has experienced a rapid growth in telecommunication sector over the last few years bringing all districts under the telecommunication networks," chief adviser's Special Assistant for the MoSICT Manik Lal Samadersaid at the workshop. "However, all the development made in this sector will be meaningful only when the benefits of ICT are taken to the common citizens particularly rural population." Referring to the country's baseline study, SM Wahid-uz-Zaman, secretary to the MoSICT, told the workshop that there are more than 1000 CeCs or telecentres in Bangladesh which are providing a range of technology and information services for rural population. The services include access to information on agriculture, health, fisheries, employment opportunities and so on. The centers also provide technology services such as access to computer and Internet, emailing, telemedicine, digital photo services which were previously unavailable in many rural areas. He mentioned that several model CeC will be set up in rural areas under the project to bring the rural population closer to many government services and eventually empower the rural communities. Speaking as special guest ADB Country Director in Dhaka Hua Du said the bank would continue its support to the government to bring the rural populations into the domain of information and communication technology. The workshop was chaired and moderated by Ahmed Hossain Khan, joint secretary to the MoSICT and head of the Project Implementation Unit for the project. Representatives from various ministries, Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Board, CeC implementing agencies, members of Bangladesh Telecenter Network, mobile phone operators, international development partners such as UNDP and UNESCAP, grass roots CeC operators were also among the participants.
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