Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed, Former Director General and Commandant, Ansar VDP Academy : The power, position and prospects of the information and communication technology (ICT) are very immense in Bangladesh. Realizing future prospects, Bangladesh became the member for International Telecommunication (ITU). And with an access to the world-wide ICT movement, Bangladesh signed the Minneapolis declaration.
At that time, the then government gave an approval of Internet use and played a significant role in ICT development by withdrawing value added tax from computers and also made the price of computers tolerable.
The computer industry then was fully based on import and the price was so high that it was beyond the purchasing limit of general people. Dial-up device was the only source of dependence to use internet. There was nothing as of today’s broad-bands. Internet was v-set based which was only used by some international organizations. In some cases, native multinationals and corporate agencies used it. The prime minister could realize that e-readiness and all necessary preparation should be made for the maximum use of ICT. In the beginning of 2001, she signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on technical assistance from the Netherlands. With that accord, Nederland government committed to train up Bangladeshi 7700 teachers on computers and consented to donate 11,000 computers, training guides and accessories of computers. It also donated €10 million for the project.
Computer was first distributed to honorable prime minister’s childhood educational institution Azimpur Government Girls’ School. But it was obstructed by a group of officers and the project was initially disturbed and hampered. In mid-2001, though the program was started in small scale, this agreement was postponed during time of new government. During the BNP regime, this project faced obstacle and it was then alleged that it was aimed to benefit Sheikh Hasina’s niece Tulip Siddiq as part of her aunt’s family business, causing the Dutch government to stop funding in the project.
Even the Netherlands planned to stop the berthing facility of Bangladesh’s ship in their seaports. Tulip’s company filed case against BNP. And a Dutch court fined Bangladesh to €4.2million. To make ICT world active, the computer businessman in 1997 played a very strong role. Bangladesh Computer Council leaders continued their negotiation with government, drawing the attention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Some experts and experienced personnel in her government tried their best for a firm and sound condition of ICT. Consequently in 1998, Bangladesh had a positive role in the international telecommunication union as declared in Minneapolis of USA. The then Finance minister Shah A.M.S. Kibria had a talk to Secretary General Pekka Terzani of Finland and sought cooperation of Asian development bank and World bank to launch a project for the development of telecommunication in Bangladesh. Again Bangladesh also raised their strong voice to organize a UN Apex conference for the development of ICT. In July 2000, Ukinaya, Japan organized G-8 conference in order to develop ICT and a proposal of international memorandum, passed by majority board members, which was familiar as Ukinaya Charter. Meanwhile, the former Deputy Minister Ushiho Utshomi ICT ministry gave full support for Bangladesh’s ICT development. After 2000, a worldwide movement coupled with mutual cooperation started in ICT. High price of ICT accessories, production and marketing and monopoly marketing control became a challenging to the developing countries.
So the G-8 leaders were very serious about implementing Ukiaya charter. Duly, they invited Hasina to a summit in Italy. They wanted to hear from Sheikh Hasina on poverty alleviation, where ‘digital opportunity task-force’ recommendation was assigned as ‘Zenoa pan’ of action. From Okinaya, Zeanoa to Geneva-Tunisia, the whole world is highly stormed in ICT area. Sheikh Hasina in 2008, declared her digital Bangladesh with her experience, farsightedness and maturity of thinking. Despite Russia leaving G-8, the present G-7 leaders still are eager to share with our prime minister, in the coming Quebec summit.
Our prime minister will be invited there, where and the G-7 leaders will hear from her. This is our nation’s reputation which is earned by prime minister’s responsibility. We want to inform the world that we have the dreams and win the challenge. The world must learn the lesson that we are the nation, we do not go back and we can sacrifice and overcome.