Getting benefits from information technology
Friday, 20 July 2007
M. Saleem Ullah
UNLESS there is a huge hue and cry followed by deaths of some people in the hands of either the political, social goons or by the law-enforcing agencies, the people in power cannot see things even in front of their eyes.
Recently, while watching a talk-show, by the courtesy of a private TV channel (it is a different issue why we don't like to watch the government-owned TV Channel), this writer came to know that the Birth Registration Act 2004 was promulgated and an opportunity was given to the public in general to get their names and dates of birth and also those of their issues registered with the City Corporations/Municipality without any fees/money until July 2008.
Being an advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, for several times, this writer tried to get the birth Registration Certificate for his own self and his family members as well as some of his close relatives for their personal need. Specially those who are residents of different civilised countries want to have the birth certificate for getting "Green Card" or citizenship of that country. We are sorry to say that the lengthy process as put forward by the concerned officials of the Dhaka City Corporation made us guilty for visiting that office.
Now the procedure has been made easy for anyone but still it is difficult to obtain a copy of the prescribed form without any charge and again to get it filled up and then to pay a second visit to that office to submit the same before the concerned official.
We have a suggestion not only to make the birth registration computerised and ready in the data bank, but also to fill up other forms and applications including the National/Voter Identity (ID) Card, easy in the following manner:
All the schools and colleges at the least in Dhaka city should hoist their web-page in the local internet service providers and allow the prospective candidates to fill it up online and if their prayer is allowed, they may be allowed to pay by credit card or by cash in their respective schools/colleges/institutions.
All government forms and publications should be made available on line and automatic registration numbers should be allotted to the applicants and on successful completion of other formalities, the successful persons should be asked to collect their national/voter I.D. Cards.
We have at feast half a million internet users in Dhaka and another half a million internet users in all over Bangladesh. The government or the prospective organisations would be getting service free of cost of a million worker and a perfect data base that can be used for our national security, local police stations, registration offices and any one interested to work on the demography. Just think ahead, forget the British system of harassing the public on all trash procedure, which cannot provide relief but can add miseries to the public in general.
It is not out of place to mention here that in the judicial system also, the government has provided the computers for last two to three years but the people in front of the computer with Internet system really do not know what to do with the 'toy'. We have seen in some places the computer operators playing cards with computer or building dummy garden or castle. What a misuse or underuse of the powerful system!
However the present government has directed the copying section of the civil court with computer facility to supply certified copies of the judgement/order or other things with computer print and in some cases (up to four pages) photostat copies of the certified ones. This is a very good start and we hope this government would take the benefit of Internet superhighway facility and once the Bangladeshi people become familiar with the system, there would be reduction of corruption also.
Lesser involvement of the government official with the suffering of the people would mean lesser corruption in Bangladesh. The government would be getting, free of cost, service of at least a million people.
.............................................
The writer is an advocate, Appellate Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
UNLESS there is a huge hue and cry followed by deaths of some people in the hands of either the political, social goons or by the law-enforcing agencies, the people in power cannot see things even in front of their eyes.
Recently, while watching a talk-show, by the courtesy of a private TV channel (it is a different issue why we don't like to watch the government-owned TV Channel), this writer came to know that the Birth Registration Act 2004 was promulgated and an opportunity was given to the public in general to get their names and dates of birth and also those of their issues registered with the City Corporations/Municipality without any fees/money until July 2008.
Being an advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, for several times, this writer tried to get the birth Registration Certificate for his own self and his family members as well as some of his close relatives for their personal need. Specially those who are residents of different civilised countries want to have the birth certificate for getting "Green Card" or citizenship of that country. We are sorry to say that the lengthy process as put forward by the concerned officials of the Dhaka City Corporation made us guilty for visiting that office.
Now the procedure has been made easy for anyone but still it is difficult to obtain a copy of the prescribed form without any charge and again to get it filled up and then to pay a second visit to that office to submit the same before the concerned official.
We have a suggestion not only to make the birth registration computerised and ready in the data bank, but also to fill up other forms and applications including the National/Voter Identity (ID) Card, easy in the following manner:
All the schools and colleges at the least in Dhaka city should hoist their web-page in the local internet service providers and allow the prospective candidates to fill it up online and if their prayer is allowed, they may be allowed to pay by credit card or by cash in their respective schools/colleges/institutions.
All government forms and publications should be made available on line and automatic registration numbers should be allotted to the applicants and on successful completion of other formalities, the successful persons should be asked to collect their national/voter I.D. Cards.
We have at feast half a million internet users in Dhaka and another half a million internet users in all over Bangladesh. The government or the prospective organisations would be getting service free of cost of a million worker and a perfect data base that can be used for our national security, local police stations, registration offices and any one interested to work on the demography. Just think ahead, forget the British system of harassing the public on all trash procedure, which cannot provide relief but can add miseries to the public in general.
It is not out of place to mention here that in the judicial system also, the government has provided the computers for last two to three years but the people in front of the computer with Internet system really do not know what to do with the 'toy'. We have seen in some places the computer operators playing cards with computer or building dummy garden or castle. What a misuse or underuse of the powerful system!
However the present government has directed the copying section of the civil court with computer facility to supply certified copies of the judgement/order or other things with computer print and in some cases (up to four pages) photostat copies of the certified ones. This is a very good start and we hope this government would take the benefit of Internet superhighway facility and once the Bangladeshi people become familiar with the system, there would be reduction of corruption also.
Lesser involvement of the government official with the suffering of the people would mean lesser corruption in Bangladesh. The government would be getting, free of cost, service of at least a million people.
.............................................
The writer is an advocate, Appellate Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh