Cabinet okays Digital University Bill

The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the Digital University, Bangladesh Bill, 2014, aiming to improve the standard of ICT education and thus gear up the country’s development activities. The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters. He said the proposed university, a priority project of the government, would be set up soon near the High-Tech Park in Gazipur district after the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The proposed law has a provision of offering high-salary packages to attract qualified local and foreign ICT experts as teachers of the university. Apart from regular academic activities, the university would offer online and distant learning facilities, too. The university would have links with the ICT industries of the country so that its students could get a chance for working in these industries. The chancellor of the university would nominate two entrepreneurs of the ICT industries for sharing their experiences with its students. The Cabinet also okayed the proposal for expanding the National Service Programme for 17 Upazilas of 17 districts, Musharraf Hossain said. The Cabinet Secretary said the programme will start in January 2015 and continue till December 17 of the same year, according to a news agency.