Internet for all by this year: Palak

The government is working to ensure internet for all and digitalise 90 per cent of public services by 2021, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak yesterday.

"People will not run after services. Rather, the services will go to them," he said at a press conference at the ICT Tower in Dhaka marking 12 years of Digital Bangladesh, according to a press release.

Palak said a robust ICT infrastructure had been built in the last 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This had taken information and communication technology to rural areas.

Some 3,800 unions are now covered by broadband internet connectivity, and 600 services have already been converted to digital services as part of a move to digitalise about 2,800 government services by this year, he added.

The government has introduced e-office activities to reduce the use of papers and pens, he said.

As part of the effort, e-documents have been introduced at ministries and other government offices to bring dynamism, transparency and accountability.

At present, more than 90,000 officials of 8,000 offices are using e-documents. So far, 1.43 crore files have been disposed of through the e-document system, he added.