The document outlines the vision for Digital Bangladesh, which aims to transform Bangladesh into an ICT-based modern country by 2021. It discusses the origin of the Digital Bangladesh vision from a political party's platform. It defines Digital Bangladesh as guaranteeing efficient use of modern ICT in all areas of society. It also lists challenges to achieving this vision, such as power deficits, lack of network infrastructure outside major cities, low internet penetration, and low English literacy. The document discusses achievements made toward the vision so far, including rankings in Networked Readiness and ICT Development indices. It stresses the need for increased investments, human capital development, and productivity to help Bangladesh achieve middle-income status.

2. Table of Content
1. Introduction
2. Origin of Digital Vision
3. Meaning of Digital
Bangladesh
4. Why Digital Bangladesh
5. Achievements
6. Action to be taken
7. Conclusions

3. Introduction
"Digital Bangladesh" means an ICT based modern
country where there will be adequate power
supply, well-networked infrastructure, use of
internet, use of open-source software, e-banking,
e-commerce and e-governance.

4. Origin of Digital Vision:
On the eve of the election, Bangladesh Awami
League, one of the major political parties, first
declared vision 2021with the aim to turn
Bangladesh into a digital country by the next
decade.

5. Meaning of Digital Bangladesh:
"Digital Bangladesh" must guarantee efficient and
effective use of modem ICT in all spheres of the
society with a view to establishing good
governance.

6. Why Digital Bangladesh
(a) Power deficit: Latest statistics reveal that Bangladesh faces a power deficit of up to
2000 MW against a demand of 5000 MW daily. It may be noted that for proper ICT
development an uninterrupted power supply is a must.
(b) Network infrastructure: Outside Dhaka, at present a few computer network
infrastructures have been developed so far. Apart from some educational institutes
outside Dhaka, observation finds that most of the LAN setups are Dhaka centric. This
observation reveals the reality of the digital gap even within the country.
(c) Use of internet: For the ICT development internet users of the country must be
increased. In this case our position is the worst one among the South Asian countries.
Latest statistics (2007) revealed that internet penetration in our country is only 0.3
whereas in Pakistan and India it is 7.3% and 5.3% respectively.
(d) Use of open source software: Many countries (e.g. France and Malaysia) have
started to use open source software in ICT development projects for cost effectiveness.
Unfortunately in our ICT development domain, the culture of using open source has not
yet been introduced.

7. (e) English-literacy rate: From different sources, it has been learnt that, English
literacy rate in Bangladesh is less than one percent. In the arena of ICT English has
become lingua-Franca. Unfortunately, in this case our position is the worst in the
sub-continent.
(f) Better agricultural production: The farmers will use all types of modern
motorized tools instead of traditional equipments and their hand-driven tools to
cultivate their lands. They will have to get ample online help about producing more
and more crops.
(g) Modern treatment: Patients will have to get telemedicine and tele-surgery
facilities with the use of audio and video conferencing based net. Besides, 24-hour
online help will radically change the traditional medical services.
(h) E-learning and e-commerce: All the educational and commercial
institutions will come under a good network system and the details of these
institutions and their activities will be available on websites. E-paper, digitised pen,
e-book, pen drive and screen-touch tools will replace the traditional tools for many
different reasons.

8. Achievements
The slogan of “Digital Bangladesh” of the Government
of Bangladesh has special significance for national
development. Digital Bangladesh with Vision 2021 is
a big impetus for the use of digital technology in the
country. In spite of several bottlenecks and
limitations, works are in progress for the realization
of Digital Bangladesh.

9. Achievements
COUNTRY 2014 2013 2012
Bangladesh 119 (score 3.21) 114 113
Bhutan 94 (score 3.68) N/A N/A
India 83 (score 3.85) 68 69
Nepal 123 (score 3.09) 126 128
Pakistan 111 (score 3.33) 105 102
Sri Lanka 76 (score 3.94) 69 71
Table 1: Status of NRI of Bangladesh and its neighboring countries

10. Achievements
Table 2: Status of IDI of Bangladesh and its neighboring countries
COUNTRY 2013 2012 2011
Afghanistan 155 (score 1.67) 155 N/A
Bangladesh 145 (score 1.97) 146 139
India 129 (score 2.53) 129 120
Nepal 131 (score 2.37) 134 N/A
Pakistan 142 (score 2.05) 141 128
Bhutan 123 (score 2.85) 126 117
Sri Lanka 116 (score 3.24) 113 107
Myanmar 150 (score 1.82) 148 N/A

11. Achievements
Table-3: EGDI ranking of Bangladesh and its neighboring countries
COUNTRY 2014 2012 2010
Afghanistan 173 (score 0.1900) 184 168
Bangladesh 148 (score 0.2757) 150 134
Bhutan 143 (score 0.2829) 152 152
India 118 (score 0.3834) 125 119
Maldives 94 (score 0.4813) 95 92
Myanmar 175 (score 0.1869) 160 141
Nepal 165 (score 0.2344) 164 153
Pakistan 158 (score 0.2580) 156 146
Sri Lanka 74 (score 0.5418) 115 111

12. Actions to be Taken
Bangladesh has an impressive track record of growth and
development and aspires to achieve middle-income status
by its 50th birthday. The country needs faster growth
which depends on increased investments, development of
human capital and enhanced productivity.

13. Conclusion:
Time has come for Bangladesh to develop her information
technology and to turn her "Digital Bangladesh". We need to
bear in mind that to be away from enriched information
technology means to live like a frog living in a well. We should
look at the advanced countries of the world so that we can get
modern ways and strategies from them to bring about a
revolution for our ICT based society. Like Mahathir
Muhammad's Malaysia, we have to have our all-out efforts to
materialize our desired Vision-2021 for our betterment and
own existence.

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