Bite-sized internet packages empowering freelancers in remote villages

Ruman of Jhenidah is one such freelancer who wanted to learn graphic designing. But the lockdown forced him to move to his village where broadband internet was not available. He had to learn. And the mobile internet was slow and costly. Ruman was in trouble. Until he came to know about WiFi Haat.

WiFi Haat is an initiative by Carnival Internet where local brick and mortar shops in villages are supplied with internet package cards starting from only BDT 7, which users can use according to their needs. There are other packages available as well. For example, for BDT 15, one can use unlimited high-speed broadband internet for the entire day.

WiFi Haat is a part of Carnival Internet's ongoing commitment to empower the remote parts of the country with seamless internet connectivity, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. Internet cards from WiFi Haat enable users to seamlessly use high-speed internet at a low cost, enabling freelancers, students and job-seekers in remote villages to empower themselves by learning new skills and putting them to good use by freelancing and earning.

Before, people would spend time for the purchase of only tea-biscuits or small daily necessities or maybe a cup of tea at a grocery or tong, but now the tables have turned wherewith the establishment of Wi-Fi haat allows them to enjoy 2 hours of unlimited internet for only 7 Tk. So, people are spending more time in the store buying cards than before.

Due to the pandemic, many educational institutions in Bangladesh have not been able to run regular classes for a long time. Many educational institutions are now taking classes online. At present a large part of the students are living in villages, there are many areas in the villages where it is difficult to get an internet connection. Even if there is a broadband connection in the village, in addition to the monthly fee, the router and the connection cost up to 3,000 Tk at a time, which is quite difficult for most families to afford.

Carnival aims to solve problems like these. Carnival Internet has already reached 11,500 villages in 182 Upazilas of 48 districts of the country. And is committed to reaching 20,000 more villages by 2021.

Carnival hopes that internet connectivity will reach the remotest corners of the country and the entire country will be connected to the world so that in an age of globalisation, no one from Bangladesh is left behind.

The author is the Director of Carnival Internet

Illustration-Zarif Faiaz