Bridging the Digital Divide: ICT Training Centers Proposed for Bogura and Feni
The government is set to initiate the establishment of ICT Training and Incubation Centers in the districts of Bogura and Feni, regions previously excluded from such developments. The move is being described as a corrective measure against longstanding political exclusion.
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, shared the update on his social media account on Monday night, stating, “Under a decade and a half of Awami League’s misrule, not only were political parties and officials sidelined, but entire regions also faced deliberate deprivation. These include BNP strongholds like Bogura and Feni, as well as poverty-stricken areas such as Kurigram and Lalmonirhat. Border and coastal districts like Satkhira, Barguna, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Panchagarh, and Chapainawabganj also faced similar neglect.”
He added, “Meanwhile, ICT Training and Incubation Centers were concentrated in areas linked to influential Awami League leaders. Bogura never made it to any list. Feni appeared once but was later excluded. We are dismantling this politically motivated selection process.”
No specific timeline or information on land acquisition for the proposed centers in Bogura and Feni has yet been disclosed.
Notably, under the previous government, a nationwide initiative to reduce unemployment through ICT training and skill development had allocated approximately BDT 1,114.62 crore for the establishment of such centers. An additional allocation of around BDT 436.88 crore was also made.
According to available data, the project titled “Establishment of IT Training and Incubation Centers in Seven Districts” included the districts of Gopalganj (Kashiani), Feni (Parshuram), Nilphamari Sadar, Sherpur Sadar, Sunamganj Sadar, Patuakhali Sadar, and Thakurgaon Sadar. However, following the appointment of the interim government, the ICT Ministry initiated audits into expenditures and irregularities across various projects, which resulted in the exclusion of proposed centers in Gopalganj (Kashiani), Feni (Parshuram), Nilphamari Sadar, Sherpur Sadar, and Sunamganj Sadar from the plan.
The ICT Secretary, Shish Haydar Chowdhury, stated that for Patuakhali and Thakurgaon, construction of four-storey buildings with four-storey foundations will proceed, subject to land availability. He further noted that this revised strategy would save the government approximately BDT 436.88 crore.
