E-govt master plan, digital municipality service system launched

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with Bangladesh Computer Council and ICT Division on Sunday unveiled its e-government master plan and launched Digital Municipality Service System.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, ICT affairs advisor to the prime minister, Md Tazul Islam MP, minister, local government ministry, rural development & co-operatives, Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP, state minister, ICT Division, Hu Kang-Il, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, NM Zeaul Alam, senior secretary, ICT Division and Joe Hyun-Gue, country director, KOICA Bangladesh Office, among others, were present at the function held in the city.

These are part of KOICA assisted project ‘Establishment of the e-government Master Plan for Digital Bangladesh’.

A successful ICT application in e-governance gives a one-stop solution and helps to achieve Bangladesh’s vision of “Digital Bangladesh” by 2021, KOICA said.

KOICA initiated to launch a project on “Establishment of the e-Government Master Plan for Digital Bangladesh” in collaboration with Bangladesh Computer Council and ICT Division from 2014 with the grant of US $3.2 million.

The main objectives include establishment of e-government master plan and action plan, implementation of the pilot project for e-government and capacity building of Bangladesh government officials.

As part of the Republic of Korea’s support for Digital Bangladesh, e-government master plan has been established to help Bangladesh with implementation of transparent, efficient and accountable public administration.

It further aims to digitize public services for better delivery and greater social inclusion hoping to reach even the vulnerable sections of the society.

KOICA hopes that this document will serve as a foundation for the government’s “Digital Bangladesh by 2021” programme, which envisions the mainstreaming of information technology as a pro-poor tool to reduce poverty, establish good governance and ensure social equity.

During the development of the strategic document, 47 initiatives were discovered for short, mid and long-term implementation to achieve Digital Bangladesh.

Among these initiatives, the first ranked initiative was ‘Digital Municipality Service System Development’.

KOICA took this as a pilot project and implanted in Mymensingh city corporation and nine municipalities, namely, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Jhenaidah, Natore, Ramgoti, Singra, Tarabo, Tungipara, and Pirganj.