Three new ICT-sector development projects involving Tk 46.33 billion have been proposed all of which are lookalikes of previous ones allegedly doomed to failure in set goals for corruption, misuse of public funds.
Officials at the Planning Commission hold such view about the projects designed by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division with an avowed objective of ensuring advances of the worldwide fastest-growing sector of knowledge economy.
One of them is 'Digital Service Transformation for Access and Resilience (D-STAR)' project, conceived with an estimated cost of Tk 31.72 billion, including Tk 31.06 billion in World Bank support, which aims to strengthen the capacity of the domestic information communications technology (ICT) industry and raise export earnings from the sector to $5.0 billion.
The ICT Division has also proposed the second phase of the 'Learning, Earning and Entrepreneurship' project, estimated at Tk 9.53 billion, and the second phase of the 'Her Power Project: Empowerment of Women Through ICT Frontier Initiatives', estimated at Tk 5.08 billion.
Both are fully funded by the government.
Together, these three projects plan providing training in graphics design, digital marketing, web development, and other basic, mid-level, and advanced ICT skills to 156,040 youths, additionally providing free laptop to 40,436 trainers and trainees.
In 2022, the Enhancing Digital Government and Economy (EDGE) Project was approved with $295 million in World Bank support, aiming to save $300 million through improved efficiency, create 100,000 jobs, and boost IT-firm revenues by $300 million.
However, irregularities and poor implementation slowed progress, prompting the World Bank to slash the committed loan to half, reducing assistance to $146.64 million and significantly affecting project targets.
Planning Commission officials and ICT experts have sought justification for proposing the new D-STAR project before assessing the failures of the previous initiative and establishing a proper strategy for effective implementation.
Officials also say the Learning, Earning Project and the Her Power Project were widely criticized as major channels for misappropriation during the Awami League tenure. According to a report by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), vendors received payments without delivering proper training, laptops were distributed to individuals outside the trainee pool, and many trainees did not receive the devices intended for them.
They note with concern that a re-launch of such projects could encourage the same flaws that occurred during the previous tenure.
KM Fahim Mashroor, co-founder and managing director of Bdjobs.com, cautions against the government pursuing such projects again. And says similar initiatives have largely provided low-cost, low-skill training to thousands of people, which has proven insufficient, over the past decade.
"Effective training programmes require one to two years of comprehensive engagement. There is a pressing need to enhance skills for 25,000-30,000 IT graduates entering the workforce annually," he told The Financial Express writer.
He also says that particularly in areas such as graphics, web development, and other fields AI is rapidly automating tasks. Training on such initiatives under government frameworks often yields limited results, and direct collaboration with private companies would be far more effective.
He also points to widespread corruption in previous projects, involving the funds of the government initiative, despite substantial funding from the World Bank.
"While large allocations to the ICT sector are commendable," he stresses, "the focus must now be on quality, accountability, and measurable impact in implementation."
Under the project, 34.56 per cent of the total allocation, or Tk 10.96 billion, has been earmarked as capital grants for individual entrepreneurs. The project claims that providing nearly $90 million in these grants could attract approximately $200 million in investment in the fiber-optic sector.
The project aims to ensure affordable, quality broadband by enhancing climate-resilient connectivity through private-sector participation and regulatory reforms, strengthening BTRC's capacity for spectrum management and digital regulation, and promoting inclusive, gender-responsive access for women and underserved communities.
A review of the D-STAR project shows Tk 609.1 million allocated for foreign training of 30 participants, Tk 151 billion for domestic training, and Tk 54.1 billion, 17.05 per cent of the total budget for consultancy services.
According to the project proposal, it aims to provide high-speed, reliable internet access to 39 million people and deliver digital public services to 78 million through secure, user-centric platforms.
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