‘Digital Bangladesh’ campaign paying off for nation amid pandemic: Ministers
The "Digital Bangladesh" campaign of the ruling Awami League is paying off for the nation at the time of coronavirus pandemic, ministers say, as millions of people are availing different services online.
"The government is making people aware of the disease in every possible way and it is working," Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said.
Over 85 lakh people have visited the website -- corona.gov.bd -- in the 60 days since its launch on March 20, days after the first coronavirus cases were found in Bangladesh on March 8, State minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said.
"We have received over 74 lakh phone calls for information and services on our 333 number which was launched by Prime Minister's adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy in 2018," he said, adding that people are also using the coronavirus testing tool app.
They revealed this while speaking at the first episode of a webinar series through the Bangladesh Awami League's official Facebook page on Friday night, UNB reported.
Barrister Shah Ali Farhad, a special assistant of PM Hasina, moderated the webinar.
Noted psychologist Prof Mehtab Khanam, Director of the Health Department's Communicable Disease Control programme Prof Shalina Ferdous, Head of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit Monirul Islam, actor Riaz Ahmed and journalist Farzana Rupa were among the panel speakers.
Digital Bangladesh was the campaign slogan of Awami League before the 2008 elections when there was low internet connectivity, and inadequate electricity generation in the country, they said.
Bangladesh has since seen significant improvement and remarkable growth in the digital economy.
The information minister said they had been transmitting the messages through radio, television, and newspapers from the beginning.
"We have started the campaign even before the outbreak in our country," he said, adding that they had involved all relevant stakeholders such as doctors, celebrities, actors, and actresses in the effort.
CTTC unit Chief Monirul Islam said the pandemic was a new experience to law enforcement, but they had been successful so far.
"It was completely new when it [virus] first emerged. Now we have SOP [standard operating procedure]. Interpol also issued an SOP recently," Monirul said.
Referring to the works by the law enforcers that involve almost everything from "the hospital doors to graveyard", the CTTC chief said the pandemic has helped them deliver their promise of a "people-oriented police" for Mujib Year.
Police are also involved in ensuring proper distribution of relief materials to the people, he added.
Prof Mehtab Khanam acknowledged the difficulties of staying at home as she said "people love freedom", and stressed on devising awareness messages in a language understandable to all.
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