BTN targeted to set up 40,000 telecentre in Bangladesh
Honorable Chief Advisor to the caretaker government of Bangladesh, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed formally launched the Mission 2011 of Bangladesh Telecentre Network (BTN) on December 06, 2007 at 10.00 hours at Bangladesh China Friendship Convention Centre (BCFCC), which targeted to set up 40000 telecentre by 2011, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the glorious independence of Bangladesh with the vision of an inclusive knowledge society in Bangladesh, where the poor and the marginalized people get access to information and knowledge for improving their livelihood through the use of modern information and communication technologies.
On his speech, the honorable chief advisor said the poor have an additional entry now to their list of deprivation. The better-off urban people are benefiting from the ICT-based new economy, but the poor, disadvantaged and rural populations do not have access to the information superhighway. “We need to remove this barrier and empower these people by providing them with access to new technologies? The CA said a solution to this problem lies in a network of telecentres, which will provide access and support to rural communities. He expressed his confident that the telecentres will not only minimize the digital divide by improving access to technology but will also provide invaluable support through appropriate contents and advisory services in the livelihood struggle of large number of the country’s population.
Science and ICT Adviser Mr. Tapan Chowdhury, UNDP Resident representative Renata L Desallien, Chairman of BTRC Major General (rtd) Manjurul Alam, Executive Committee member of Global Knowledge Partnership and fellow of Sawminathan Research Foundation, India, Prof Subbiah Arunachalam, and senior programme officer of IDRC/telecentre.org Asia Region Dr Basheerhamad Shadrach also spoke at the function.
On his speech the ICT Advisor said that through ICT the government has a plan to provide information about telemedicine, agriculture, business and so on in the Upazila level. He called for multi-stakeholders partnership to materialize this mission.
Chairperson of Bangladesh Telecentre Network, Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury presided over the inaugural session. On his welcome address he mentioned that Telecentres are just not setting a cyber cafe but it will provide all sorts of livelihood information to the disadvantaged rural peoples.
Dr. Basheerhamad Shadrach senior programme officer of IDRC/telecentre.org Asia Region mentioned that Bangladesh is the pioneer in the Telecentre movement. He pointed out four important issues for promoting this movement like, connectivity, local content development, services, and capacity of the infomediary.
Executive Committee member of Global Knowledge Partnership and fellow of Sawminathan Research Foundation, India, and Professor Subbiah Arunachalam emphasized on the philosophy of Telecentre which is sharing knowledge and building partnership particularly for poverty reduction.
Distinguished researchers, IT experts, academics and Telecentre practitioners, grassroots level practitioners were among others present in the programme.
Category: ICT for Development, Knowledge for Development
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