There are 19 crore SIM card and 13 crore 14 lakh internet users in the country. So, the tele density is 107.90 percent according to demographics. Internet based employment increased to 2 million. There are now 6 lakh 90 thousand IT freelancers in the country including software, hardware and BTO. They earn about $1.9 billion in export earnings from the ICT sector.
To increase this income, Joy Digital Service Employment and Training Centers are being built on the 5th floor of the Upazila Complex of each Upazila at a cost of about 2 crore taka. This state-of-the-art training, incubation and employment center will be completed by vertical extension of the complex building without taking up new space to save money. Their construction will be completed by December 2026. From there, it is expected that thousands of young people will be able to get employment through training.
This information was conveyed in the discussion on the questions, queries and answers of the first session of the twelfth national parliament on Monday evening; the discussion on the notices taken for drawing attention to matters of urgent public importance (Rule-71), the present papers and the motion of thanks brought on the address of His Excellency the President of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh by post, telecommunication and State Minister for Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
9598 links have been removed from social media
In response to the supplementary question of Amatul Kibria Kaya Chowdhury, Member of Parliament of Habiganj-1 Constituency, the Minister of State for Information Technology (Posts and Telecommunications) said that the matter of taking legal action against the spreaders of false and provocative information on YouTube and social media is not included in the Posts and Telecommunications Department. Necessary measures have been taken to remove 9598 links related to false and provocative information from YouTube and social media before and after the recently concluded 12th National Assembly elections.
In a written reply to the question of the same member of parliament, Palak said that there are currently 19 crore mobile SIM subscribers in the country. The number of internet users is 13 crore 14 lakh. 20 lakh youth are getting employment in internet, 6.9 lakh youth are working in IT. They are earning 1.9 billion dollars per year for our country. 17 mobile companies have set up plants here. 95 percent of the mobile phones sold in our country are manufactured locally.
Teletalk 5G in Union level; BTCL is service oriented
In response to the question of Member of Parliament of Noakhali-3 (Begumganj) Constituency Mamunur Rashid Kiran, the State Minister said that the customer can now download the bill and pay the bill and demand note online from the BTCL website. Apart from the customer care center, BTCL’s call center 16402 is open 24 hours. There are 17 towers of Teletalk including Begumganj Upazila of Noakhali District. As part of network development, 7 towers will be installed in transition to 5G. This work will be completed in 2025. Towers will be set up to spread Teletalk’s 4G network at the Union level as well.
The pension scheme will also be launched from 500 smart post offices.
The government is converting 8500 post offices into e-post offices to provide digital services from post offices. 270 dilapidated post offices at the district and Upazila level across the country are being modernized. Out of this, initiative has been taken to convert 500 post offices into smart service points. If the initiative is implemented, arrangements are being made to exchange perishable goods with all the services of the Department of Posts from these points. At the same time, small savings certificates, student savings accounts and pension schemes will be launched from the post office.
The Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology gave this information to the Parliament in response to the question raised by Abul Kalam Azad, Member of Parliament of Gaibandha-4 Constituency regarding the expansion of Savings Paper Scheme of Postal Department to Union level.
In addition, the state minister said that the government has taken the initiative to utilize the large area of the post office in a public-private joint venture, and said that he has already received three proposals from the private sector. Smart service will be provided from there in the presence of smart young entrepreneurs after verification.
The construction of Mymensingh Hi-Tech Park will be completed in 2026.
In response to the question of Member of Parliament of Mymensingh 4 Constituency Mohit Ur Rahman, the State Minister said that the work of setting up 8 Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centers across the country has been completed. 6 hi-tech parks are under construction and running. Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centers are being constructed in 64 districts. Knowledge parks are being constructed in 12 divisional and district cities. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already laid the foundation stone of a hi-tech park in Mymensingh. It will be completed by December 2026 at a cost of Tk 170 crore.
With the aim of creating new employment, short certification will be given to one and a half lakh youth based on 300 constituencies. They will be given capital support by Startup Bangladesh. Also, a training model center will be created in 4500 unions centered on Sheikh Russell Digital Lab. One Joy Smart Service Employment Training Center is under construction in 490 upazilas each. Through this, it will be possible to create 1 million more jobs in the next 5 years from the IT and ITES sector. At least 500 youths will be trained in IT freelancing in each parliamentary constituency.
Evening training for the educated
In response to the question of Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, Member of Parliament of Bhola 3 Constituency, Palak said that 13 thousand IT training will be given in the evening from the Sheikh Russell Digital Computer Lab to increase the skills of the educated youth with limited resources. This work will be done in a tripartite initiative of the Directorate of ICT, a2i and the Ministry of Education with the 21 laptops there. Similar training for skill development will be started in 4,500 unions of the country. Through this we will increase our export income to 5 billion dollars in the next 5 years.
AI for village teachers! Initially at 10 Sheikh Russel labs…
supplementary questions in each parliamentary seat this year, Aktaruzzaman, Member of Parliament of Gazipur-5 Constituency, highlighted his experience of visiting many educational institutions after the election. He said that out of 66 high schools in his constituency, Sheikh Russell computer lab has been established in 19. He was very happy to visit them. Now he demands high quality trainers capable of outsourcing these labs to international standards or a special training program once a week.
In response, State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak said, we have arranged for the appointment of ICT teachers in the labs. But it is true that there is a shortage of teacher capacity. So, we have already arranged training for teachers so that they can earn extra income by freelancing themselves along with teaching. Also, we have applied to the Department of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for creating a new post of Lab Instructor. Besides, we are setting up 5,000 more Sheikh Russell digital computer labs in primary schools. The 300-parliamentary-based School of the Future incorporates Japan’s Kumon model to create a new generation of future problem solvers. Also, we are talking to Khan Academy for AI technology based teaching. Village teachers can also use this AI tool to improve their teaching skills. `
The state minister also said that a policy decision has been taken to establish 10 Sheikh Russell digital computer labs in all 300 constituencies by next June. The new MPs will have the opportunity to set up these labs within the next 6 months. In these labs, through the programmers and assistant programmers of the ICT Department, after school training will be started initially from 4500 model training centers.
Gaibandha- 1
Member of Parliament Abdullah Nahid Nigar asked the state minister whether the people have a smart policy document or not. In response to the question, a publication named ‘Darshan to Darpan’ was distributed among the parliamentarians today, the state minister said, in the 4-page pamphlet, we have highlighted what will be smart citizens, economy, government and social system. I have completed the initial work of short-, medium- and long- term planning by 2041 on the advice of ICT advisor. The Honorable Prime Minister has made 15 sub-committees by assigning 15 ministers to the executive committee of the Smart Task Force under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. Documents and action plans have been prepared on how all sectors including health, education, judiciary, commerce and parliament will be smart.
Palak also said that the domestic software companies are implementing the digital parliament for parliamentarians, and now 17 companies in the country are making 95 percent of the mobile phones required for Bangladesh with the challenge of the Prime Minister. Smartphones, laptops, televisions made in the country are also being exported to Europe and America. According to the plan, high-speed fiber optic cables will be delivered to one lakh institutions within the next one year. We are moving fast in the right direction of building Smart Bangladesh.
Habiganj-4 Member of Parliament Syedul Haque presented a question 198 marked with a star in Parliament on behalf of Jahangir Alam, Member of Parliament of Cumilla-3, requesting inclusion of digital literacy in the curriculum. In response to the question, the state minister said that under the project of setting up IT parks in 12 districts in the construction of Smart Bangladesh, the work of setting up a knowledge park in Cumilla headquarters is going on. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Center in Lalmai Upazila. Training will begin there soon. The basis for future allotment of space is the consideration of setting up an IT Park named after Digital Bangladesh Architect Sajeeb Wazed Joy at Murad Nagar, Cumilla. In response to the supplementary question, he said, with the growth of Bangladesh’s GDP and the increase in transactions on digital platforms, the protection of transaction data has become very necessary. Increased digital signatures and cyber awareness, enhanced technical capabilities of computer incident response teams have resulted in no major accidents since 2016. We are moving forward through international agreements to keep our cyber world safe. However, in this case, I request to include digital literacy and cyber security in the curriculum to develop awareness and skills. At the same time, I request the members of Parliament to involve the teachers and parents of their area to learn about digital signature and cyber security through the Hasina and Friends website. If everyone works together, it will be possible to achieve 100% digital signature.
Demand for Machine Digital Attendance:
In order to keep the computers and laptops spread across the country, we are always working or keep those free from viruses; Parliament member of Patuakhali 3 Constituency SM Shahzada proposed Machine Digital Attendance in the supplementary question in Parliament. In response, the state minister said, we will be more careful in appointing teachers. I am talking to the Ministry of Education about this. Besides, I will try to take care of the Sheikh Russell digital labs through the use of technology for monitoring and tracking. The new lab will use built-in technology.
Union Digital Center will be smart:
In response to a question raised by Member of Parliament Nator-4 constituency Siddiqur Rahman about the mistakes of entrepreneurs of union service centers, the state minister said that if a salaried person is replaced by entrepreneurs, the speed of work will slow down. Therefore, initiatives will be taken to increase the efficiency and number of services of entrepreneurs to convert Union Service Centers into Smart Service Points.
In response to the question of Md. Asaduzzaman, Member of Parliament of Rangpur-1, the State Minister said that, the construction of a hi-tech park named after the prominent nuclear scientist Dr. Wazed Mia is progressing at a fast pace in the Rangpur Sadar at a cost of Tk 170 crore. Also, an initiative has been taken to construct a Joy Smart Service and Employment Training Center in Gangachara Upazila. Hopefully the construction work of these two projects will be completed within the next 2 years. Thousands of jobs will be created from there, inshallah.