e-goVernmeNt
At present, Bangladesh lacks many of the factors necessary to establish e-government. The government continues to struggle in its efforts to provide current information on governmental activities electronically. Not all government agencies possess web identities. To date, Bangladesh Railways is the only government agency that offers electronic service delivery to citizens. That agency has introduced computerized passenger reservation system, thus enabling faster reservation service and less corruption.
Although national leaders seem to possess the political will and commitment to adopt ICT-friendly measures to advance the IT sector and establish e-government, there are still some obstacles to overcome. First, the lack of cooperation and coordination between government agencies and the absence of a national ICT policy have hindered the desired ICT growth in Bangladesh. It is true that there has been an effort to introduce e-governance in a limited range in the ministries by supplying computers and hiring IT professionals in the government agencies under the 'e-governance project' of the Ministry of Science, Information & Communication Technology. But this has done little to encourage ICT growth in Bangladesh.
Second, Internet access is too expensive in Bangladesh compared to Western developed countries. In Bangladesh, the lowest cost to gain Internet access is US$0.50 per hour through a dial-up system. Installation of necessary telecommunication facilities for ISP companies is also at the preliminary stage as the country is still not under the full BTTB telecommunication network. A telephone density of 0.50 connections per 100 people is one of the lowest in the world. This compares unfavorably with neighboring countries, namely India (1.0), Nepal (0.5), Pakistan (2.1), Sri Lanka (1.0), and Thailand (2.5). An installation charge of US$450 for a new line is also one of the highest in the world (e.g., Pakistan US$90, India US$60), and the waiting time for a connection is more than a deacade. (75) Except for the capital city of Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong, a telephone connection remains a pipedream for most Bangladeshis. Even in those cities, problems persist in securing telephone connections, but residents in both areas somehow manage the connections through lobbying, and, sometimes, offering bribes to BTTB officials.
Third, the adult literacy rate in Bangladesh is fifty-one percent. Most possess no knowledge in using computers, let alone e-government or electronic service delivery. In a country like Bangladesh, where nearly one-half of the population cannot read and write, this offers little incentive for IT growth.
Fourth, Bangladesh lacks the infrastructural support, e.g., electricity, telephone network. Since only 1.1 percent of the total population enjoys the use of electricity, (76) use of computers remains beyond the reach of the overwhelmingly majority people in Bangladesh. On average, there is only one PC per 1,000 people in Bangladesh as compared to 585.2 PCs per 1,000 people in the U.S. (77) Over the last decade, attempts have been made to lay a submarine cable to increase both the speed of overseas data transmission and Internet service in Bangladesh. Yet one still finds a shortage of IT experts in the country to run existing IT initiatives. Most IT institutions, except public universities, are training computer operators instead of computer professionals.
Although national leaders seem to possess the political will and commitment to adopt ICT-friendly measures to advance the IT sector and establish e-government, there are still some obstacles to overcome. First, the lack of cooperation and coordination between government agencies and the absence of a national ICT policy have hindered the desired ICT growth in Bangladesh. It is true that there has been an effort to introduce e-governance in a limited range in the ministries by supplying computers and hiring IT professionals in the government agencies under the 'e-governance project' of the Ministry of Science, Information & Communication Technology. But this has done little to encourage ICT growth in Bangladesh.
Second, Internet access is too expensive in Bangladesh compared to Western developed countries. In Bangladesh, the lowest cost to gain Internet access is US$0.50 per hour through a dial-up system. Installation of necessary telecommunication facilities for ISP companies is also at the preliminary stage as the country is still not under the full BTTB telecommunication network. A telephone density of 0.50 connections per 100 people is one of the lowest in the world. This compares unfavorably with neighboring countries, namely India (1.0), Nepal (0.5), Pakistan (2.1), Sri Lanka (1.0), and Thailand (2.5). An installation charge of US$450 for a new line is also one of the highest in the world (e.g., Pakistan US$90, India US$60), and the waiting time for a connection is more than a deacade. (75) Except for the capital city of Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong, a telephone connection remains a pipedream for most Bangladeshis. Even in those cities, problems persist in securing telephone connections, but residents in both areas somehow manage the connections through lobbying, and, sometimes, offering bribes to BTTB officials.
Third, the adult literacy rate in Bangladesh is fifty-one percent. Most possess no knowledge in using computers, let alone e-government or electronic service delivery. In a country like Bangladesh, where nearly one-half of the population cannot read and write, this offers little incentive for IT growth.
Fourth, Bangladesh lacks the infrastructural support, e.g., electricity, telephone network. Since only 1.1 percent of the total population enjoys the use of electricity, (76) use of computers remains beyond the reach of the overwhelmingly majority people in Bangladesh. On average, there is only one PC per 1,000 people in Bangladesh as compared to 585.2 PCs per 1,000 people in the U.S. (77) Over the last decade, attempts have been made to lay a submarine cable to increase both the speed of overseas data transmission and Internet service in Bangladesh. Yet one still finds a shortage of IT experts in the country to run existing IT initiatives. Most IT institutions, except public universities, are training computer operators instead of computer professionals.
posted by Agontuk at 12:34 PM
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