Spreading e-governance
Friday, 24 April 2009
It will be no easy job to operationalise the arrangements for on-line submission of tax return by the tax-payers. The Finance Minister stated the other day that the tax-payers would enjoy this facility from the next fiscal. This piece of news only indicates the possibility of the computer playing a role in improving governance. There is no denying that introduction of arrangements for on-line filing of tax returns will contribute a lot to ensure relatively hassle-free filing of income tax returns. That itself will pave the ground for encouraging more tax compliance. The government should make every effort to make the system of filing of on-line tax returns, effective from the next fiscal. All hurdles to making it operational should be overcome.
The actual present state of e-governance in the country is, however, quite disconcerting. There are many areas in Bangladesh where the use of the computer can revolutionise the government administration. But e-governance continues to be more a cliché than a reality in the country. Particularly in the context of Bangladesh, the computer can be a mighty tool for leapfrogging in achieving good governance. Now only a limited use of computers is being made in various ministries of the government.
In this context, some urgent steps do need to be taken to make a start in e-governance in the country. First of all, computer availability will have to be greatly increased in the ministries and departments under them. The computers should not only adorn the desk top of some officials like office embellishments as they are seen now. Government employees will have to be trained well in using computers. In the next phase, computerisation of the entire works of the government bodies should be attempted. Only on achieving such a state, satisfaction can be taken that a part of the vision of digital Bangladesh is coming nearer to fulfilment.
One would like to note here, for an example, that computerisation of the courts and land administration can help to overcome the present very ossified and corrupt systems of work at these two areas of the administration. People at land offices are harassed at every step and have to bear the torturers of unscrupulous ones there who tamper with ownership and other documents of land for underhand payment. Computerisation can help to bring to an end such harassment of people and the tampering of records. The case of the police administration can also be cited here as another example. Presently, the police spend a great deal of their time in writing diaries of cases and investigations by hand. In some police stations of the country, files of years ago even turn unreadable from disuse and the careless or unprotected filing system. Computers can come to the rescue in such a situation. A single computer in a police station can make redundant thousands of files accumulated over the years and release space at the station and extra time for the policemen for their field work as they would not have to do so much tedious writing work. Furthermore, computerisation can tremendously aid detection of criminals as their pictures can be preserved in computers and the same can be brought to the screen any time through the flick of a mouse.
Thus, full-fledged computerisation can indeed achieve a remarkable transformation for the better in the running of government offices. Services delivery to people will likely increase very significantly as a result and opportunities for indulging in corruption will be similarly reduced. But for all these to take place, the government has to demonstrate more by actions than by words that it means real business about e-governance. The sooner, the better.
The actual present state of e-governance in the country is, however, quite disconcerting. There are many areas in Bangladesh where the use of the computer can revolutionise the government administration. But e-governance continues to be more a cliché than a reality in the country. Particularly in the context of Bangladesh, the computer can be a mighty tool for leapfrogging in achieving good governance. Now only a limited use of computers is being made in various ministries of the government.
In this context, some urgent steps do need to be taken to make a start in e-governance in the country. First of all, computer availability will have to be greatly increased in the ministries and departments under them. The computers should not only adorn the desk top of some officials like office embellishments as they are seen now. Government employees will have to be trained well in using computers. In the next phase, computerisation of the entire works of the government bodies should be attempted. Only on achieving such a state, satisfaction can be taken that a part of the vision of digital Bangladesh is coming nearer to fulfilment.
One would like to note here, for an example, that computerisation of the courts and land administration can help to overcome the present very ossified and corrupt systems of work at these two areas of the administration. People at land offices are harassed at every step and have to bear the torturers of unscrupulous ones there who tamper with ownership and other documents of land for underhand payment. Computerisation can help to bring to an end such harassment of people and the tampering of records. The case of the police administration can also be cited here as another example. Presently, the police spend a great deal of their time in writing diaries of cases and investigations by hand. In some police stations of the country, files of years ago even turn unreadable from disuse and the careless or unprotected filing system. Computers can come to the rescue in such a situation. A single computer in a police station can make redundant thousands of files accumulated over the years and release space at the station and extra time for the policemen for their field work as they would not have to do so much tedious writing work. Furthermore, computerisation can tremendously aid detection of criminals as their pictures can be preserved in computers and the same can be brought to the screen any time through the flick of a mouse.
Thus, full-fledged computerisation can indeed achieve a remarkable transformation for the better in the running of government offices. Services delivery to people will likely increase very significantly as a result and opportunities for indulging in corruption will be similarly reduced. But for all these to take place, the government has to demonstrate more by actions than by words that it means real business about e-governance. The sooner, the better.