High-speed internet 'in all unions by 2018'

The government has planned to bring the country's all unions under high-speed internet connectivity by 2018.

"We've already brought upazila offices under broadband internet connectivity and steps have been taken to bring all the unions under digital connectivity," director general ICT (DOICT) department Banamali Bhowmick told a function held at the deputy commissioner's conference room in Brahmanbaria on Thursday.

Trinomuler Tathyajanala of ICT division and Tathyaseba Barta Sangstha (TSB) organised the function to provide training to the entrepreneurs of UDCs of Brahmanbaria district on writing reports and features, outsourcing and e-commerce.

Bhowmick said the government has undertaken two projects—Info Sarkar-3 and Establishing Digital Connectivity projects to bring villages under high speed internet connectivity, reports UNB news agency.

The Infosarker-3 project has already been approved by the executive committee for National Economic Council (ECNEC), he said adding the project would bring some 2,600 unions under broadband internet connectivity and the remaining unions will get high speed internet connectivity under establishing Digital Connectivity project, he said.

Ajit Kumar Sarkar said the government has been building capacity of the entrepreneurs of union digital centers (UDCs) to write reports and features to inform grassroots-level development and success stories of the government to people using ICT.

People will get empowered if they are given necessary information of their livelihood, he said.

The 3-year Trinomuler Tathyajanala programme is being implemented with the advisory support of Access to Information (A2I) Programme of prime minister's office (PMO) to create 10,000 info leaders through providing training to the entrepreneurs of UDCs. TSB is working as implementing associate.