The three-day Digital Bangladesh Mela 2023 began with the participation of children. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the fair through a video message at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said that digital connectivity has now reached all corners of Bangladesh. Now 10 Mbps speed internet is available even at union level. About 71 percent of people in Bangladesh now have internet access. Mobile has gone from analog to smart.
Highlighting the goal of building Smart Bangladesh after extensive network across the country, the Prime Minister said, Smart Bangladesh means smart citizens, smart economy, smart government and smart society.
In the speech of the chief guest, Minister of Education Dr. Dipu Moni said, 2021 was digital Bangladesh. Smart Bangladesh will be in 2041 and Delta Master Plan will be implemented in 2100. It is for this purpose that the government stepped on the highway of technology and connectivity. There is no alternative to this digital connection in building a developed and prosperous Bangladesh.
Highlighting the ‘smart’ concept of Smart Bangladesh, she further said that the children present in front of us, who are now aged 15-16, will build a humane and developed prosperous Bangladesh. Here smartness would mean acquisition of soft skills, problem solving skills for survival. Smart citizens of smart Bangladesh will be honest, humane, tolerant, non-communal and creative.
While speaking as the special guest, Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar said that the future of the Bengali nation depends on the next generation. Because they have all kinds of modern technological knowledge. By not adopting submarine cables in 1992, we were a bit behind in technology. But the positive aspect for Bangladesh is that we have more youth. The problem with Europe and America is that they don’t have a demographic dividend. The government is trying to revolutionize education and integrate it with technology. Another advantage of digital Bangladesh is that our youth are doing very well in outsourcing. In building Smart Bangladesh, these modern technologies, robotics, advanced service system, app creation, and digital connectivity will advance the country in many ways.
Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman said that it was possible to communicate with 11 countries for the first time through Bangabandhu’s Geo-satellite station. All sorts of communication including health, education and other official tasks has become easier with just a smartphone and connection. Now all bill payments can be done through android mobile in the palm of your hand. Health education sector and even offices ran very smoothly during the outbreak of Corona. The number of Facebook-based online shopping is 6 lakh per month. From Digital Bangladesh to the Smart Bangladesh, all the activities are aimed at the youth. Multimedia classrooms are equipped with all kinds of technological equipment for students in remote areas.
ISPAB President Imdadul Haque said paperless seamless and cashless connectivity is the goal of Digital Bangladesh. Bangladesh has entered the digital age from analog technology; now we are ready to deliver high speed internet to villages to build a smart Bangladesh. Now I am expecting the policy support of the government.
After the opening ceremony, Minister of Education and Posts and Telecommunication visited the stalls of the fair. Visitors will get a chance to see all the latest features and innovations including 5G at the Digital Bangladesh Fair. The main organizer of the fair is the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. The Implementation Associate of the fair is Internet Service Providers Association ISPAB. Mobile operator organization AMTOB is also with them. Bangladesh Association of Contact Center and Outsourcing- BACCO too is participating. Huawei is the titanium sponsor of the fair and the Diamond Sponsor is ZTE Corporation.
Along with holography at Mujib Corner in the fair, visitors can visit the Liberation War Museum in VR headsets. Various details of 5G facilities will be presented to the customers. Exhibitors will showcase the digital experience of Bangladesh in 20 pavilions, 32 mini pavilions and 17 stalls with high speed internet with IPv6. A total of 8 seminars will be held in the three-day fair on the achievements of Digital Bangladesh and the goals of Smart Bangladesh. Four mobile operators will hold a mobile congress for the first time with 4 seminars. There is an innovation zone in the fair premises. Future innovators will showcase IoT, robotics and potential technology innovations.
Postal and Telecommunication Medals will be awarded to 22 individuals/institutions in 14 categories. In the Digital Bangladesh Mela, Awards will be given among the winners of the Essay competition, painting competition, best stall and best innovator and so on.