The government has launched 16 digital services and platforms this year in line with its vision of transforming the country into ‘Digital Bangladesh’ to render services to the citizens through digital means.
The Access to Information (a2i) Programme under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has introduced two online-based platforms — ‘Konnect’ for students and ‘Accessible Dictionary’ for visually-impaired people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated a2i’s newly developed online-based platforms at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on February 1, 2018, a2i officials said on Wednesday.
The ‘Konnect’ is a digital platform for teenagers where they can share, upload and learn from creative multimedia contents such as books, movies and comic books and important life lessons from the website www.konnect .edu.bd that can help develop their talent, social and personal skills, personality and commitment to the welfare of the nation.
The ‘Konnect’ has been jointly developed by a2i Programme, Ministry of Education, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Sylhet Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, World Literature Center and the Children’s Film Society.
According to the a2i officials, the ‘Accessible Dictionary’ is Bangladesh’s first Bangla-to-Bangla, Bangla-to-English, English-to-Bangla and English-to-English dictionary developed exclusively for the visually-impaired people. It is available in both web and mobile app formats on the website www.accessibledictionary.gov.bd.
The dictionary has been developed by YPSA, a social development organisation, with overall support from a2i’s Service Innovation Fund.
The a2i Programme in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has developed the digital platform “Krishi Batayon” (agriculture portal) and the “Krishak Bandhu Phone Seba” for expansion of e-agriculture services across the country, said the a2i officials.
The prime minister introduced the services through a videoconference from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital on February 28, 2018.
The “Krishi Batayon” is a central service portal where some mobile apps have been developed by taking into consideration the different needs of the farmers and agriculture extension officials for providing services from this portal or enriching its information for the necessity of services.
Any farmer included in the list of “Krishi Batayon” can make any question related to agriculture by making a call to No. 333 from his/her phone.
The a2i has also launched the ‘333 Call Centre’ with a motto — “Government information and services, anytime” — to provide information on procedures of receiving government services and redress of social problems.
Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed inaugurated the call centre service on April 12, 2018.
Anyone can dial the helpline 333 from anywhere of the country and expatriates Bangladeshis to 09666789333 and receive information about government offices or officers, tourist attractions, 64 districts and solution of different social problems.
Mobile operator Robi and one of the leading call centre service providers in country – Genex Infosys Ltd – are extending technical assistance to operate the call centre.
Gradually, the services of different ministries will be incorporated in the call centre, and the entrepreneurs at over 5,000 digital centres will be engaged so that people could also receive services from them.
With the joint initiative of a2i Programme and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, an online system called “E-Licensing and E-Learning System of (BAERA)” was inaugurated on March 29.
The online system aims at transforming the licensing and training system of BAERA into e-services through the online process for saving time and reducing cost in providing services to the citizens.
The a2i and USAID jointly launched six digital centres — five for garment workers in Gazipur and one for fishery workers in Khulna — on August 16, 2018 aimed at ensuring easy, fast and low-cost access to government and private services for the RMG and fishery workers.
From these digital centres, people of those areas, including workers of garment and fishery industries, can receive more than 150 government and private services, financial inclusion services, quickly at a lower cost as well as they can be able to buy and sell more than 0.50 million different products online through agent banking and rural e-commerce ‘ekShop’. The digital centres are open for service from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm every day.
The government has launched ‘Implementation of Digital Service Dashboard’ in order to implement 1,976 digital services by 2021 in different departments, directorates and organisations.
Former post, telecommunications and ICT minister Mustafa Jabbar inaugurated the Implementation of Digital Service Dashboard jointly made by the Cabinet Division and the a2i Programme at a function on the “Coordination of Digital Service Implementation Plan-2021” at the Officers’ Club in Dhaka city on October 9.
According to the officials concerned, the government will implement the plan of 1976 digital services in 53 ministries and 394 departments, directorate and organisations.
The a2i Programme with the support of ICT Division, UNDP and USAID introduced ‘Skills Portal’ (skills.gov.bd) on September 22 in the first session of the National Apprenticeship Conference 2018 held in Cox’s Bazar.
The Skills Portal is an online platform for regular coordination and monitoring of various a2i skill development programmes; assessing the demand of skilled manpower in the industry; and connecting skill development organisations with various industries.
The a2i Programme and the Department of Environment launched two environment challenge fund titled ‘ETP Monitoring System’ and ‘Remote River Water Monitoring System’ to check the river pollution and wastes discharged by factories.
The ‘ETP Monitoring System’ and ‘Remote River Water Monitoring System’ will protect the environment and rivers from pollution by providing information online on waste control and water quality of rivers respectively.
The government has launched a mobile app “Joy” on July 29, 2018 in an attempt to provide immediate assistance to women and children who were or are about to become victims of torture or violence, reports BSS.
The mobile-based ‘Joy’ application software has been developed by Multi-Sectoral Program on Violence Against Women (MSPVAW) of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs with funding and technical support from the a2i Programme.
Any one from anywhere can search for “Joy 109” app at the Google App Store and download it at their android-based phone. During any emergency, the app user can instantly send urgent SMS to the Police Super, Deputy Police Commissioner of the metropolitan police, three selected FNF (friend and family) numbers and the National Helpline Center (109).