Internet for rural people

The government yesterday approved a Tk 499 crore project to bring all the upazilas under the optical fibre cable network to give rural people easy access to the internet.
At a meeting, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the “Upazila level optical fibre cable network development project” under which information and communication technology will be provided to 290 out of the 486 upazilas in the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the Ecnec meeting at the National Economic Council conference room in the capital.
A total of 179 upazilas are now under the optical fibre cable network provided by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and other projects, said a planning ministry statement.
The statement, however, said Bhola Sadar, Sandwip, Hatiya, Moheshkhali, Kutubdia, Baghaichhari, Langadu, Juraichhari, Belaichhari, Barkal, Mehendiganj, Muladi, and Hizla upazilas would remain out of the project owing to their geographical locations.
The Ecnec also okayed six other projects involving Tk 387 crore.
The projects include agricultural equipment technology development and expansion, cattle development, river bank protection of the vulnerable areas of Lalmahon upazila of Bhola district, applied research on rural livelihood through surface water irrigation, and integrated plan for extension and development of sericulture in Bangladesh.