State Minister for Posts, Telecommunication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak presented a picture of progress of Bangladesh in digital transformation in front of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), who is visiting Bangladesh. He also explained the economic and social achievements of this progress in a power point presentation at the ‘Innovate Together for #ZeroDigitalDivide’ event held at ‘Sugandha‘ of the Foreign Service Academy in Ramna, of Dhaka on Monday (March 18).
Organized by Aspire-to-Innovate (a2i) with the support of the Information and Communication Technology Division and UNDP, the event highlighted the development of a future Bangladesh free of digital disparities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ‘Leave No One Behind’ vision.
On the occasion, the Crown Princess observed Bangladesh’s classic journey in bridging the digital divide through innovative initiatives such as Digital Centre, National Helpline 333, e-commerce platform and freelancer support programme. These initiatives are empowering citizens across Bangladesh, especially youth and entrepreneurs, paving the way for inclusive growth and socio-economic development.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak highlighted how technology has created opportunities in various sectors including education, health and economy in moving from Digital Bangladesh to Smart Bangladesh. He announced the creation of a parallel world with ‘Zero Digital Divide’ to ensure equal access for every citizen to reap the benefits of the digital revolution.
UN Assistant Secretary-General Ulrika Moder and Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forsel, other senior government officials, UN representatives and private sector representatives were present on the occasion. Through interactive sessions and exhibits, participants discussed the transformative impact of Bangladesh’s digitization efforts and emphasized the opportunities created for individuals from various fields. They also discussed Bangladesh’s significant progress and future plans in creating a zero digital divide world.
During her four-day visit to Bangladesh, the Crown Princess will review progress and ongoing challenges in SDG implementation with a focus on Bangladesh’s development journey as well as climate change, gender equality, environment-friendly and digital transformation and the role of the business sector. She will also monitor initiatives led by women and youth entrepreneurs to mitigate the effects of climate change in vulnerable areas implemented by the government and UNDP.
