Cabinet okays ICT policy

The council of ministers on Monday endorsed the draft national information and communication technology (ICT) policy-2015, which, officials claim, will establish transparency and accountability of the government.

The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the cabinet chaired by prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

This policy will help translate into reality the vision-2021 of the Awami League-led government, hope members of the cabinet.

It emphasises expansion of ICT and its multifaceted use, ensuring skilled human resource development and providing public services through public-private-partnership.

The policy will be implemented in three phases -- short goals are expected to be attained by 2016, mid-term goals by 2018 and long-term ones by 2021, cabinet secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told newsmen after the meeting.

Framed first in 2009, the draft ICT policy was presented to the cabinet in 2013 when the cabinet returned it to the ICT division for amendments.

Monday's meeting also brought certain amendments to the draft ICT policy will be updated on the division's website shortly.

The draft policy contained 10 specific objectives, 56 strategic themes and 306 items under an action plan.