The 80th UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) conference organized by Bangladesh hosted an important side event titled ‘Smart Innovation for Sustainable Development: Bangladesh and the Asia Pacific Region Perspective’. Organized jointly by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Embassy of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Bangkok, this side event highlighted Bangladesh’s inexorable journey in digital technological innovation and its impact in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Held at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand on Monday, April 22, 2024, the gathering called upon participants to explore the innovative potential of digital technologies in advancing the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within Bangladesh and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Finance Minister of the Government of Bangladesh, in his speech said, ‘We are helping the global South with our experience, knowledge and technological innovations in the delivery of government services. We strongly believe that this exchange of knowledge and technology will help us all move forward together. As we move towards the fulfillment of the United Nations Development Goals, the Government of Bangladesh has launched the International ICT Innovation-iCube Matching Fund to accelerate the digital transformation of global countries.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology of the Government of Bangladesh, who was present at the panel, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have been able to implement Digital Bangladesh in a very short time. Following the successful implementation of Digital Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the Smart Bangladesh Building Program, which aims to build an inclusive, innovative, sustainable, knowledge-based smart nation by 2041 based on the four main pillars of Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government and Smart Society to transform. He also said, ‘In the last 15 years, 20 lakh youth have been created in the IT/ITES sector. The country has about 7 lakh IT freelancers, outsourcing from rural areas and $2 billion in export earnings.
Member of the National Planning Commission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Ramesh Chandra Paudel said technological advancements in countries like Bangladesh could make technology more accessible than advanced technologies managed by developed economies. In that sense it could be a game changer strategy for that region.
The program started under the supervision of Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuya, Chief Executive Officer of Agency to Innovate (A2I) and Project Director (Additional Secretary) of Aspire to Innovate (a2i), the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Agency of the Government of Bangladesh. Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, Mohammad Abdul Hai delivered the welcome speech.
Md. Shahriar Quader Siddiqui, Secretary, Economic Relations Department, Government of Bangladesh, delivered the closing speech of the program and Anir Chowdhury, Policy Advisor of Aspire to Innovate-a2i presented the key note speech.
The event featured a panel discussion featuring eminent speakers from Bangladesh and the Asia-Pacific region – where the experts in attendance discussed the role of digital innovation in addressing key challenges related to achieving the SDGs while offering their thoughtful views. Panelists included – Hur Sanwok, President, National IT Industry Promotion Agency, Republic of Korea; Dr. Ramesh Chandra Paudel, Honorable Member, National Planning Commission, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal; Ms. Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director, International Telecommunication Union, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; Adnan Aliani, Director, Strategy and Program Management Division, UN ESCAPE; Kendrick Yonghao Chan, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy and Politics, The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and Head of Digital International Relations Project, LSE Ideas, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Gerd Trojemann, Manager, Regional Programs and Global Policy Network, United Nations Development Program (UNDP).