The government is set to lay optical fiber network in all of its offices at district, upazila and union parishad with a view to spreading internet services to the grassroot level across the country, sources said.
According to the sources, planning ministry has in the meantime approved the concept paper of the project. China in principal agreed to finance the project titled 'Development of National Infra Network for Bangladesh Government Phase III' (Expanding IT connectivity up to Union Level: Info Sarkar Phase 3), known as "Info Sarker -III." during the recent visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
After completion of the about US$1.0 billion-project, Bangladesh Secretariat, Bangladesh Computer Council, divisional, district, upazila and 4,500 union parishad level government offices will come under same network.
Under the project, 1,00,000 hot spots would be established in different localities from where people would be able to use internet and get other relevant services free of cost.
Besides, one IT lab would be set up in each union parishad (UP) where finger print and biometric data of all the citizens would be preserved.
Moreover, e-learning centres would also be established in the UP centres from where people especially who want to work as free lancers would be facilitated to have knowledge about Business process outsourcing (BPO) and cyber security system. Different types of training like web designing, graphic design, and other online and off line ones would be provided from these centres.
The project would also help in establishing mini data centres at union level where all sort of government data would be available and any one will be entitled to use the data as required.
However, director general of ICT directorate, Mostafa Kamal Uddin said his office is working to bring all the people to the mainstream and expecting to start the work within the next six months.
"We are in negotiation with China for funding. If everything goes accordingly, we are hopeful to start the three-year project within next six months," he said.
"A large segment of our people live in the rural areas, ignoring their involvement with the digital world, it will not be possible to turn the country as a developed one," he added.
Mr Kamal also said, "We are working hard to provide internet services to all the educational institutes and even small grocery shops of rural areas across the country."
The director General further said after completion of the project "we are expecting a revolution in IT-based learning and internet-based earning in the country."
Moreover, a video conferencing system in all the Upazila parishads will be installed under the project, he mentioned.
Govt prepares project to reach internet services to rural areas
Badrul Ahsan | Published: July 15, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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