Citizen Services Bangladesh Training Held in Khulna to Strengthen Grassroots Delivery

An orientation and skills development training workshop was held in Khulna to further strengthen the field-level implementation of the ‘Citizen Services Bangladesh’ initiative, with the participation of selected entrepreneurs from four districts of the Khulna division.

The workshop took place on Friday, 16 January, at the Khulna District Shilpakala Academy auditorium, where around 500 entrepreneurs from Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Jashore districts took part.

The inaugural session was attended as the chief guest by Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Referring to citizens’ personal data as a trust placed with service providers, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said that improper handling of personal data poses serious security risks for citizens. He noted that, as a foundation of digital transformation, the government has enacted laws related to cybersecurity, personal data protection and national data management. These laws, he said, will ensure a safe digital environment for citizens, institutions and the state alike.

He further emphasized that no digital service or initiative can be sustainable without public trust. Personal and sensitive information collected during service delivery must be protected as a responsibility entrusted to entrepreneurs. Misuse of such data or charging excessive fees in the name of service, he warned, would erode public confidence.

The Special Assistant also said the government aims to eliminate harassment caused by citizens having to visit multiple offices to access public services. To this end, a digital public infrastructure is being developed by integrating all government services into a single platform, which will save time, cost and labour hours.

Touching on issues of referendum and reform, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said that without ensuring a balance of power, judicial independence and a system of accountability, the risk of authoritarianism could re-emerge. He called on all stakeholders to remain aware and supportive of reforms to build a discrimination-free, corruption-free and entrepreneur-friendly new Bangladesh.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to secure and reliable citizen services, he said that 12 ministries are currently connected to the citizen service platform, with plans to gradually integrate nearly 1,000 government services, enabling citizens to access all essential services from a single point.

In his remarks as session chair, Deputy Commissioner A. S. M. Jamshed Khondker said the district administration would continue to provide coordination and necessary support to ensure the effective implementation of the Citizen Services Bangladesh initiative. He stressed the importance of administrative guidance to ensure regular and efficient operation of service centres and proper fulfilment of responsibilities by entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the event, a2i Project Director Md. Abdur Rafiq said the government is committed to building a skilled pool of entrepreneurs. He assured that a2i would remain by the side of entrepreneurs in resolving any challenges faced during service delivery. He added that entrepreneurs’ roles extend beyond service provision to ensuring quality, discipline and adherence to prescribed service processes.

During the workshop, participating entrepreneurs shared their experiences and views on managing citizen service centres, maintaining service standards, delivering services quickly and efficiently, and strengthening field-level implementation.

Following the discussion, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb interacted with the entrepreneurs and responded to questions from journalists present at the venue.

The workshop was organised by the Information and Communication Technology Division, with support from the Khulna District Administration and Aspire to Innovate (a2i).

Others present at the event included a2i Project Director (Joint Secretary) Md. Abdur Rafiq, Additional Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) of Khulna Sifat Mehnaz, Head of Project Management at a2i Abdullah Al Fahim, Senior Consultant and Deputy Secretary Fazlul Zahid Pavel, Chief Technology Adviser Masudur Rahman, Head of Communications Mohammad Safiul Azam, and ICT Ministry System Analyst Md. Nabi Uddin.

DBTech/MJU/EK/OR