—AFROZA NICE RIMA—

Smart Bangladesh naturally means a technology-based state-building process, where every citizen will get a golden opportunity to guarantee their rights and fulfill their duties. It is possible to make Smart Bangladesh a reality only through the correct implementation of Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government and Smart Society with a member of each family.

In view of this, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said to prepare a plan for 2021 to 2041 and make a delta plan in 2100 to protect the Bengal delta from climate impacts. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the country’s first satellite earth station on June 14, 1975 at Betbunia in Rangamati district.

Through this the use of information technology started in Bangladesh. The current government announced Vision 2021, the main objective of which was to ensure the socio-economic development of the people through the establishment of Digital Bangladesh. The government is moving forward to build a Smart Bangladesh by 2041 through e-documentation, e-learning, startups, freelancers, cashless society and paperless offices.

Recently UNDP and the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) have embarked on an innovative partnership to co-launch the ‘One Family, One SEED’ Initiative. It aims to pave the way for ‘Smart Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED)’ opportunities, empowering households and families across Bangladesh.

We know that ‘One Family, One SEED’ Initiative is a visionary project, which aspires to extend ‘SEED’ opportunities to at least one member from every household. This holistic approach recognises the potential of each individual and household to contribute to the nation’s progress.

Actually, empowering the nation’s youth as entrepreneurs involves providing training, capital, and technological assistance.

In collaboration with UNDP, the Hi-Tech Park Authority initiated the ‘One Family, One Seed’ Initiative, envisioning to generate employment opportunities for fifty per cent of the country’s six crore families by 2041.

The Initiative comprising of a spectrum of programmes from fostering digital economic inclusion in distant communities to grassroots-level promotion of the startup culture, and from empowering individuals to knowledge-based initiatives aimed at fortifying the national entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup ecosystem, signifies a comprehensive approach to nation-building.

In addition, youngsters are now very tech savvy. That is why educated youth of this country are encouraged to become rural technology service delivery agents. Now as young entrepreneurs are selling their agricultural services by buying combined harvesters at subsidised prices, a day will come when they will use crop robotic technology to further revolutionise agriculture in Bangladesh.

Educated youth will build efficient agricultural structure by using appropriate amount inputs. Emphasis is placed on the joint contribution of government, industry and academia to build Smart Bangladesh.

By 2031, we can earn 20 billion dollars in foreign currency by exporting ICT products and services, if everyone is focused on implementing a comprehensive plan. For this the most policy support should be given to building our smart manpower.

There is a huge shortage of IT skilled manpower in the US, Europe, the UK and Japan. By exporting suitable manpower to these countries we can earn huge foreign exchange.

Young people have great potential to be creative. Hopefully, the connection between government, industry and academia will increase in the coming days. And there is a big dream of becoming a developed country. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were able to see the invisible, independent sovereign Bangladesh today has transformed into ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and is moving towards the implementation of ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.

‘Smart Bangladesh: ICT Masterplan 2041’ has been prepared by verifying the best practices of the world’s leading countries in information technology. In this ICT master plan, a total of 40 mega projects are proposed to be undertaken, one of the objectives of which is to ensure that the ICT sector contributes at least 20 percent to the national economy by 2041.

Digital Bangladesh initiatives are being integrated with Smart Bangladesh initiatives to adopt 4th Industrial Revolution and Smart Bangladesh friendly plans, policies and strategies. Ultimately, if the demographic dividend can be properly harnessed through the 4th industrial revolution to transform Bangladesh into a ‘Smart Bangladesh’, the goal is achievable.

We can express the slogan of the 2018 Awami League election manifesto ‘Youth power, Bangladesh’s prosperity’ in this way: ‘We will use the power of youth, build a smart Bangladesh 2041’.

We are hopeful that we will be able to build a cost-effective, sustainable, intelligent, knowledge-based, innovative Smart Bangladesh by 2041, depending on these four main foundations – Smart Citizen, Smart Government, Smart Economy and Smart Society.

Rabindranath wrote in the article ‘Goals and Education’, “What we can expect, is not drawn anywhere in the country in a very thick line.” It is the right to hope that makes man strong.”

Undoubtedly, journey towards hope is the greatest wealth of a nation. That is the real development journey. The source of that wealth is our great Liberation War and Father of the Nation’s dream is becoming ‘Sonar Bangla’ through the young generation.

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The writer is Deputy Project Director, PID, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Bangladesh PID Feature