Educational institutions like school, college and madrasa, and growth centres in the country's remote areas will be provided with network connectivity under an ongoing project.
The 'Connected Bangladesh' project, officials say, is aimed at closing digital divide affecting people in riverine and hilly areas.
The necessity of connectivity and high-speed internet is felt further as the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the education of children and juveniles all over the country.
Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under ICT Division at Tk 5.044 billion has been implementing the project since October 2018 and it will run until December 2023.
"This project will eliminate inequality between the mainstream population and those living in 617 riverine, hilly and remote unions," project director Jagadish Chandra Sarker tells the FE.
In collaboration with the Bangladesh Army, the implementer has started installing optical-fibre cables in 59 unions in remote areas of three hill districts-Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati.
Thirteen unions of Sandwip Island will soon be brought under broadband connectivity, Mr Sarker added.
Bangladesh Cable Shilpa Ltd, a state-owned company in Khulna, has procured 8,106-kilometre optical fibre cable and 5,000 kilometres of duct pipes to implement the project, according to a progress report.
As of January 2022, the authorities reported completion of the pop room renovation by 51.28 per cent and that of laying fibre cable by 40.22 per cent.
A team of 62 people is working on the implementation of this project.
The project is also designed to ensure the promotion of e-commerce, e-services, and telemedicine through high-speed internet usage.
Two more major goals are to increase employment opportunities and create new entrepreneurs in areas that were once deprived of connectivity.
"The people of those areas will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of the project soon," says BCC executive director Dr Md Abdul Mannan.
The project is funded under the 'Social Obligation Fund' managed by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to expand telecom facilities.
Officials say it will help enhance interoperability, efficiency, transparency, effectiveness and quality of services of the government.
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