A report that makes no sense

Ahmad Hafiz KhanbrTHE Ministry of Science & Information & Communication Technology (ICT) started its journey with high hopes and expectations. The whole bubble of hopes and expectations was shattered by the saga of misuse of Taka 180 million of the Research & Development (R&D) fund. The government and people of Bangladesh have made a grave mistake entrusting the most promising sector for national development of ICT with Ministry of Science & Technology. The division of ICT amongst three ministries was an illegal step. The situation arising out of the illogical partitioning has created an opportunity for corruption. The ministry was entrusted with ICT component of the project Support for Development of Public Sector use of ICT under a World Bank-financed project, EMPTAP. The Ministry of Science & ICT appointed 'comrades-in-arms' in key positions in the misappropriation saga of Taka 180 million R&D fund as project director. The related key functionary had tried to misappropriate fund through filing an application for research fund of Taka 0.6 million (6.0 lakh) as an employee of a fake non-government organisation (NGO). The government Public Servant Act of 1979 vide its Section 1 clearly prohibits government employee from taking job in NGO without prior permission from government. The ministry of Science & ICT has ignored the repeated request from Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) to remove the 'corrupt' functionary. brThe concerned official and his comrades-in-arms awarded a local software house and a UK-based consultancy firm to prepare National ICT RoadmapAction Plan. The report presented in the National ICT RoadmapAction Plan does not meet the definition of Roadmap or Action Plan. The report's Executive Summary is filled with incoherent, inconsistent sentences and un-explained diagrams. The authors of this report have tried to portray a false sense of approval of the report by the Chief Adviser's Office by putting the name of a key administrative official there at the top in list of experts and representatives of different sectors who have been consulted in preparation of the report.brThe authors have assembled comments of various nature from numerous sources and have failed to explain their relationship with National ICT Roadmap and Action Plan. They have failed to realise that the existing various reports including the Horizon Scan by the e-government cell at the Chief Adviser's office are simply compilations of existing ICT-related activities by different stakeholders whereas the desired National ICT Roadmap and action plan would be the guides for achieving the desired level over future timeline. This will require goal setting, charting the activities to achieve the goals in described time frame.brThe appraisal procedures and feasibility studies are absolutely vague in nature and recommendations have not followed from any logical sequence of evaluation. The suggestion for appointment of the Chief Digital Advisor reporting directly to the Chief Advisor and driving the ICT roadmap does not make sense. Furthermore, the report suggests the Chief Digital Advisor should have board level experience of driving change in both public and private sectors, and be empowered to act as the central focus of leadership across government on ICT issues. The authors of this report have no explanation of this board level experience. The whole suggestion has not reconciled the existing activities of the ministeradviser of the caretaker government in charge of ICT or the role of Ministry of Science & ICT or the ICT task force. The popping up and coining of ideas without basis are deliberate attempts to confuse the government and hamper all future development of ICT in Bangladesh.brThe authors and the sponsors of such reports should be severely scrutinised for their academic qualifications, research experiences in similar areas. Any first-year student of any local university with decent academic background could have prepared a better ICT Roadmap and Action Plan. The authors of this report seem to be not aware of the meaning of the Roadmap and Action Plan. The report does not give idea of Where we are, 'Where to go, and How to go. Rather, it has presented some facts without coherence and objectives from various papers. brThe basic objectives of the management of this project and the ministry of science and ICT seem to have been directed towards foreign visit. The concerned key functionary of the project and his team are absolutely incompetent and ignorant on ICT Policy to drive a study of this nature. The recent overseas tours arranged under the project and selection of the persons for the purpose are clear indication of alleged rampant corruption. brThe inclusion of some officials for the purpose of such visits has been done with the principle of distributing the bounty to keep the authorities in dark about the irregularities being perpetuated by the guardians of the project in league with the ministry.brThe jute industry was once an important industry for the economy of the country. We lost our edge and strength due to the wrong policies. We are facing numerous obstacles with our readymade garment industry due to our mistakes. The overseas employment of our workers is in chaos due to neglect by the government due to misguiding reports. Now the cherished ICT in Bangladesh is under threat by professional bankruptcy and irregularities by the concerned functionaries of the related ministry. The government should immediately take remedial actions by removing the incompetent functionary or functionaries of the project who are indulging in various sorts of irregularities and constitute an enquiry commission to punish all those involved in such evil and ill motivated purposes. The Bangladesh Computer Council and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission should be merged to form the Infocomm Authority while ICT, Telecom and Broadcasting should be brought under a single ministry. The recent downtrend in the science education is also a result of an outcome of inefficiencies on the part of the key personnel of the Ministry of Science & ICT. The misuse or abuse of the R&D fund has dried all hopes of advancement of research and development in the country. brThe past neglect of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has deprived the nation from the benefits of the nuclear energy. Countries like UK, France etc., are all increasing their capacity of power generation through use of nuclear energy whereas Bangladesh with uncertain energy reserve is wasting time due to the indifference of the ministry. brThe caretaker government has taken many severe steps to safeguard national interest; we would therefore earnestly request the government to take appropriate steps to save ICT in the country. brThis is an edited version of an article sent by the writer from Twister Software (BD) Ltd. House 25(B), Road 6, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205. He may be reached at bre-mail ahafizkhan@rocketmail.com