TechRoundtable
Connecting people a topmost priority
ON the concluding day of the BCS Digital Expo at BCFCC, Dhaka, a roundtable titled 'Connecting People: Priority for Digital Bangladesh' was held with active participation from policymakers in the government and industry people alike.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Munir Hasan, programme implementation specialist, Access to Information Programme of the Prime Minister's Office.
The topics covered in the keynote paper included broadband for all, local content and locally relevant content, widespread usages of ICT, Expanding the ICT horizon and the state of Local language computing.
In his paper Hasan explained the concepts surrounding the idea of a Digital Bangladesh, pledged to be turned into reality by the current government by the year 2021. He explained the things that are needed to be done in order to build a national information infrastructure to meet the targets, the systems and the ICT must work in tandem, which would enable the people, the government and business houses to come under one common platform.
Hasan said that with the advances of technology, that day might not be too far away when the Prime Minister might want to take people's opinion electronically; sending a SMS to all mobile phone users and collecting the results in just a couple of hours time!
He mentioned that with all the hype on cellular phones and high-speed internet, the television and the radio must not be forgotten as the most effective way to reach the people.
Talking about the famous $100 laptop for underprivileged children in developing countries, Hasan put forward the examples of Portugal and India, who had asked Intel to manufacture the laptops in their own countries.
That step not only boosted the economy, but also provided employment to many and saved valuable foreign currency. A similar attitude for ICT development should also be taken by the Bangladeshi government, he added.
The moderator of the roundtable was Mustafa Jabbar, president of BCS (Bangladesh Computer Samity) and the panel discussants included S M Iqbal, former president, BCS, Reza Selim, director, Amader Gram, Parvez Ahmed, consultant, Bangla Lion Ltd. and Ahmed Hasan, CEO, Ryans Computer.
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