President for civic facilities to ach rural household thru ICT

President M Zillur Rahman has called for delivering all required civic facilities including healthcare services to every rural household through information and communication technology (ICT). The President made the remark, while speaking at the inaugural function marking the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day-2011, organised by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city Tuesday, reports UNB. Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Bhutanese Information and Communications Minister Nandalal Rai, and chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Hasanul Haque Inu also spoke on the occasion. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Zia Ahmed was the keynote speaker. President Rahman said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared the roadmap of Digital Bangladesh for 2021, realising the importance of modern telecommunication and IT. Websites for various institutions including ministries, divisions and offices of the government now provide necessary information instantly to the public, he noted. President Rahman said the examinees can now find their exam results, get other necessary information, and can even fill up the admission forms online staying at home. The President also noted that necessary infrastructure is being made ready for setting up Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur while the telecommunications system is being strengthened to bring the whole country under e-governance by removing the digital divide. He said the potentials of ICT would have to be applied to improve the living standard of people all over the world, including the common people of the developing countries. Speaking at the function, the telecommunications minister said the government has taken various initiatives to expand new technologies not only to the schools, colleges and universities in the cities and towns but also to the rural areas so all people could derive benefit of such technology. He said students of schools and colleges across the country would be able to get a laptop at Tk 12,000 by June this year. Later, the President distributed laptops among the six students who emerged winners in the online essay competition.