Access to ICT improving
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Saquib Ahmed
Bangladesh was ranked 137th in a list of 159 countries about a couple of years back by the Geneva-based United Nations Agency for Information and Communications Technology that publishes report on the state of information and communication technology (ICT) involving a large number of countries to show their comparative positions. In terms of access to information communication technology (ICT), its use and skills even in relation to most of its neighbouring countries, Bangladesh's position was thus reported then to be not at all favourable. But things have certainly changed for the better for Bangladesh, in the last couple of years. Its existing realities are quite encouraging because it has indeed made notable progress in ICT use during this period. It is true that before 2008, the use of the Internet was cumbersome and costly in Bangladesh as Internet service providers (ISPs) gave connections to individual subscribers through VSAT. But connection to the submarine cable has changed the situation vastly with much faster performance at the individual and institutional users' levels in recent years as well as the falling costs for such connections. The access to Internet connections has also become even better very recently after the introduction of wireless technology giving Internet connections without wires. Although it could do much more, still availability of online Internet service is making significant positive changes in the country. The benefits for business communications, both with respect to cost savings and speed, are noteworthy. Families with members staying abroad are welcoming the Internet for frequent and cheaper communication. Researchers are getting valuable information quickly at a modest cost, which was not possible before. A private company source stated that its monthly e-mail bill and other costs related to accessing information or extending information have been much reduced with the latest positive developments in respect of Internet use in the country. For Bangladesh, the priority should be to provide Internet access to academic institutions and to the intellectual communities. It is also very important to take further steps to decrease the costs of Internet use. The government can also take appropriate actions to facilitate the financial institutions to provide attractive lucrative consumer loan policies and to ensure greater affordability on the part of more and more numbers of users to buy computers and accessories and also to enable people to have their own personal computers (PCs).
Bangladesh was ranked 137th in a list of 159 countries about a couple of years back by the Geneva-based United Nations Agency for Information and Communications Technology that publishes report on the state of information and communication technology (ICT) involving a large number of countries to show their comparative positions. In terms of access to information communication technology (ICT), its use and skills even in relation to most of its neighbouring countries, Bangladesh's position was thus reported then to be not at all favourable. But things have certainly changed for the better for Bangladesh, in the last couple of years. Its existing realities are quite encouraging because it has indeed made notable progress in ICT use during this period. It is true that before 2008, the use of the Internet was cumbersome and costly in Bangladesh as Internet service providers (ISPs) gave connections to individual subscribers through VSAT. But connection to the submarine cable has changed the situation vastly with much faster performance at the individual and institutional users' levels in recent years as well as the falling costs for such connections. The access to Internet connections has also become even better very recently after the introduction of wireless technology giving Internet connections without wires. Although it could do much more, still availability of online Internet service is making significant positive changes in the country. The benefits for business communications, both with respect to cost savings and speed, are noteworthy. Families with members staying abroad are welcoming the Internet for frequent and cheaper communication. Researchers are getting valuable information quickly at a modest cost, which was not possible before. A private company source stated that its monthly e-mail bill and other costs related to accessing information or extending information have been much reduced with the latest positive developments in respect of Internet use in the country. For Bangladesh, the priority should be to provide Internet access to academic institutions and to the intellectual communities. It is also very important to take further steps to decrease the costs of Internet use. The government can also take appropriate actions to facilitate the financial institutions to provide attractive lucrative consumer loan policies and to ensure greater affordability on the part of more and more numbers of users to buy computers and accessories and also to enable people to have their own personal computers (PCs).