'Use ICT as a tool to establish good governance
The dramatic advancement of ICT has transformed the world into a 'global village' and no country can survive keeping itself distanced from this modern trend, they said at the workshop titled 'Building an information society: Road 2 Tunis'.
The Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology and the UNDP, Bangladesh jointly organised the workshop at the Bhasani Novo Theatre complex in the city to prepare a 'Dhaka Declaration' for the World Summit on Information Society to be held in Tunis next month.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The speakers said the ICT have continued to drive economic changes, restructure businesses, affect skill and employment models and contribute significantly to economic growth. But these developments are largely uneven as many people in the world have been deprived of access to information.
Speaking as the chief guest, Science and ICT Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said, "Using ICT, anyone can directly post questions to ministers about the government activities, whereas it usually takes a lengthy procedure in parliament to ask questions."
Stressing the need for promoting ICT for rural development, he said around 70 percent of people in South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, live in rural areas and the development of these states is impossible without their participation.
Dr Moyeen Khan said the ICT provides the opportunity to break the so-called digital divide and this is the only advanced technology which offers more benefits at cheaper rate.
He, however, said the lack of access to, affordability of and awareness about ICT is the major obstacle to spreading it across the country.
Bhutanese Minister for Information and Communication Layonpo Leki Dorji, who was present as the special guest, stressed the use of ICT as a tool for development.
Resident Representative of UNDP Jorgen Lissner said the ICT is a sector essential for all sections of society -- from professors and peasants to vendors and tycoons.
However, it is creating the digital divide among many countries in the world, he said, adding that countries like Bangladesh have to come a long way to catch up with other countries to bridge the gap.
Secretary of ICT Ministry Mian Mushtaque Ahmed and Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Larry Maramis also spoke.
Later, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan inaugurated a three-day 'Bangladesh showcase and WSA Road Show' at the Bhasani Novo Theatre complex where different IT firms and organisations showcased their products and services.
Twenty local and international experts are taking part in the workshop. Two plenary sessions were held yesterday and three plenary sessions will be held today.