80 thousand crores taka of government money has been saved so far under the Info-Sarker project taken to implement the Digital Bangladesh vision. Which achieved three global awards. On Monday, the responsibility of implementing this project was given to two non-profit NTTN companies: Summit Communication and Fiber@Home. Under the PPP agreement, for the next 20 years to provide high-speed smart internet services to 2600 unions of the country, the two contracting organizations must implement 99.9% network uptime to ensure uninterrupted data and internet services. For this, these two companies will maintain, repair, upgrade, replace and manage all the equipment installed at the optical fiber cable, POP room, NMS, aggregation, district, Upazila and Union levels. Its income will be shared by the project implementing organization Bangladesh Computer Council.
Bangladesh Computer Council Executive Director (Grade-1) Ranjit Kumar and Managing Director Brigadier General Md. Rafiqur Rahman and Summit Communication CEO Arif Al Islam signed the agreement on behalf of Fiber@Home Limited at BCC Conference Center of ICT Tower in the capital on Monday in the presence of the ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak. Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, the former manager of this project and recently retired Managing Director of Hitech Park Authority, was specially honored in the event.
While speaking as the chief guest at the event, the ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that Bangabandhu laid the foundation of the first modern information technology. And his unfinished dream is being realized by his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After creating the four pillars of Digital Bangladesh, the Prime Minister’s Advisor Sajib Wazed Joy took up the Info-Sarker Phase 3 project since BTCL was not successful in establishing a network in 4500 unions. With his advice, it was possible to establish this network in 2600 unions instead of 1000 unions at the same cost. This decision has been taken for the development of the country through half government and half private participation to make it sustainable.
The state minister also said that the Info-Sarker Phase-3 project will strengthen all the four pillars of Smart Bangladesh. Civilizations develop centering river banks and seaports. After that, industries develop depending on railways and electricity. But with computers and the internet, we have now become a global village. In future, 100% transactions will be made paperless.
Palak said inclusive development is impossible without internet. And in sustainable development, Info-Sarker got hundred percent marks in all areas. We had to endure a lot of pain and suffering for this. The government has spent 1200 crore taka to implement this project. 20 thousand km of fiber has been laid. Education-medical-business-entertainment services are running through it. There is also income from this. They will share 10 percent of the income with the government for up to 20 years.
Summit Communication CEO Arif Al Islam said that somehow it is feasible at the district level, but at the union level, it is still not profitable. Still, Summit Communication has established a network of 14 thousand 500 kilometers in 1293 unions of the country. That is why it is difficult to earn from this line. Because, capital investment to maintain this network is harder than CSR. I have calculated that profit is not possible before 11 years. Still we have taken this responsibility for the sake of national interest.
In his speech, the Fiber@Home Chairman Moinul Haque Siddiqui said that this network will reduce marginal digital inequality through underground and overhead cabling. However, using a duplicate of this network will not provide any benefit. The entire network will then be threatened.
The BCC Executive Director Ranjit Kumar presided over the ceremony while Dr. Md Mushfiqur Rahman and Additional Secretary Mohammad Nav Shafiullah was present as special guests. Pranab Kumar Saha, Project Director of Info-Sarkar 3rd Phase Project delivered the welcome address on the occasion.
The ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak handed over a check of Tk. 7.5 crore to the PPP authorities on behalf of Fiber@Home and Summit.
