Some time ago my newly passed SSC girl suddenly asked me to buy a telecast SIM card. He said that now any student from any part of the country can apply for admission in any college through Teletalk sim. Then I remembered how much time it would take to apply for admission to our college. We submitted the application to go to each college, bought separate forms and submitted the form after standing hour after line. There was no end to costs and suffering. But nowadays, it has become easier, service has reached the doorstep of the people.

On the eve of the ninth parliamentary election, the Prime Minister announced 'Digital Bangladesh' as ​​a day-change certificate. In the first place, some did not believe Digital Bangladesh properly, but some people had doubts and doubts about it. Was done But the younger generation of Bangladesh expressed their unwavering support for this declaration with confidence. Digital Bangladesh is not something to be stressed over, but rather a matter arising from the grassroots. In this regard, Digital Bangladesh is not a myth, it has already been proved.

The Union Information and Service Center, now known as the Union Digital Center, was launched on 9th of November, 2016 in the Union to bring government services to the marginalized people. It is mandatory for every woman to have a female entrepreneur with a man at every digital center for women's empowerment. These services are available from computer composites to various government-private schools, admission information, filling admission forms, registration of births, insurance, mobile banking, soil test and fertilizer recommendations for farming, paying electricity bills, medical advice and daily services. Passport and visa application activities have been started from some recently selected digital centers. Mobile banking services have been launched in four centers. Twenty-two million 22 thousand 3-year-old workers registered abroad at digital centers.

There are a large number of women. As a result, the digital center has become a hub of grassroots services. After the union council, 6 digital centers have been opened in 5 city corporations and digital centers in 122 municipalities. According to the ICT Division and a2i, an average of 100,000 people are receiving services from these centers every month. Entrepreneurs have already earned Tk 5 crore from digital centers as a2i.

About 1,000 offices are now connected to the world's largest government website, 'National Information Bulletin' It has added more than 20,000 websites of ministries, departments, departments, districts and upazilas and unions. Through these websites the activities of the concerned office are informed. District e-service center has been launched in all the districts of the country on November 7. Over one lakh services have been provided through the District e-service center. Different services are available from the e-service center, including land plots, within three days without brokers being produced.

E-Procurement has been launched for contractors to submit tenders online. Now many ministries are calling for tenders online. Such initiatives are playing a role in preventing tender trade. Mobile court management system has been introduced to digitalize the court's activities. Through the initiative launched in the short range, all the documents of the mobile court are being stored and stored online. All the records of SA, CS, BRS and Khatiyan copies are being digitized by joint ventures of the Ministry of Land, District Administration and a2i. Of these, about 500 million Khatiyans have been digitized. Digital record room is going to be launched soon. Of these, 2.7 million records were provided on digital systems.

Public-friendly e-filing system has been introduced in government offices to improve efficiency and transparency and speed up the process of execution. At present, e-filing system has been introduced in five ministries-departments-directorate including the office of the Prime Minister and the office of the Deputy Commissioner and the office of the Divisional Commissioner. Tier-3 data centers have been set up in the ICT division to preserve digital information created as a result of digitalizing government activities. One of the goals of implementing Digital Bangladesh is the paperless office which can ensure this e-filing system.

Service Innovation Fund has been created by a2i initiative to encourage innovation and bring innovative ideas to life. Organizations and individuals of all levels of Bangladesh can submit innovative initiatives online anytime of the year, at any time of the year, to minimize the amount of time, money and travel required to minimize the amount of time it takes to receive citizen services or utilize technology. Up to Tk 20 lakh is donated to selected ideas through a neutral selection method. Through the Service Innovation Fund, a2i is working to implement five innovative concepts including multimedia talking book for visually handicapped students, online police clearance certificates, online environment clearances, age verification through mobile phones to prevent child marriage, and talking devices for people with disabilities. Multimedia classrooms for teachers and students, creating multimedia content by teachers, teachers' boasts, e-books, monitoring dashboards and digital multimedia talking books have been developed by the principle that 'IT is not education, but education in information technology'. In this model, trained teachers are creating useful content for students and using it in class. Where it is possible to conduct student-centered class activities. Multimedia classrooms have been set up in 20,6 secondary and 5 primary schools. More than 5,1,1 teachers and 5 master-trainers have been trained in the creation of multimedia content. Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the Braille Book and Multimedia Talking Book to all the primary level digital books and visually impaired students at the official inauguration of the free book distribution program at the Ganabhaban on December 25. The 'Agriculture Portal', sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, has been created by digitizing agricultural extension services to reach the farmer in an efficient and easy way. The agricultural portal has been piloted and will be officially inaugurated soon. The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, through the long struggle of digital Bangladesh's philosophical foundation, had stripped independence - the eyes of the nation with a strong commitment to self-reliance. He made the nation dream of golden Bengal. Likewise, his worthy daughter, the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has given his election manifesto a 'day change certificate'. After 5 years of independence, he has a vision of where Bangladesh will go in 2021 and he has given the name in the election manifesto called 'Rupal 2021'. One of the goals of Vision 2021 is 'Digital Bangladesh', which was a dream in the 21st, and today it is a reality.

Md. Mostafizur Rahman

Author: Joint Secretary, Director, a2i Program, Prime Minister's Office