Report on E-governance in Bangladesh

Table of Contents
Name of Contents Page No
1. Executive Summary………………………………………………………………. 1
2. Chapter -1
1.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………. 2
1.2. Methodology……………………………………………………….. 3
1.3. Limitation…………………………………………………………….. 4
1.4. Scope of the Study……………………………………………….. 5
1.5. Objective……………………………………………………………….6
3. Chapter -2
2.1. Overview of the topics…………………………………………. 7
4. Chapter -3
3.1. Literature review………………………………………………….. 8
5. Chapter -4
4.1. Analysis………………………………………………………………….9
6. Chapter-5
5.1. Findings……………………………………………………………………………………….10
7. Chapter- 6
6.1. Recommendation………………………………………………….11
6.2. Conclusion…………………………………………………………….12
8. Chapter -7
7.1. References……………………………………………………………13

Executive Summary
The essence of good governance lies in successful implementation of e-
governance in wide range of government activities. In current days of digital and
ICT based environment, it is impossible to have good government without E-
governance. The purpose of this study is to discuss the performance of Bangladesh
in E-governance implementation, identify some of the challenges and suggest some
of the remedial measures. As per UN E-governance survey Bangladesh performed
worse in 2012 than 2010. The challenges arise from change in government policy
with change in government, lack of sufficient skilled well-trained human resource,
supply of sufficient fund for implementing such capital intensive project, etc. But
the situation can be changed by taking necessary steps like political consensus,
development of human resource, ICT penetration, and taking proper long-term
plan implementing E-governance in Bangladesh.

Introduction
Widespread use of ICT is increasing the gap between developed and developing
countries and the gap is increasing day by day. Because the rate of growth of
developed countries is much higher than that of developing. The developed
countries all over the world are harnessing ICT to obtain the maximum benefit
through creating IT infrastructure, changing policy, managing the change, business
process reengineering, etc. As a result the developing countries can’t keep pace
with developed, even can’t maintain the distance constant. But it is the time for
developing countries to turn around for changing their age as well as lifestyles with
ICT. Countries without high levels of resources like Bangladesh can hope to
accelerate development if they are able to develop knowledge, which, combine
with adequate ICT related infrastructure, can allow successfulintegration into
knowledge-based economies. Only the use ICT in the government functioning is
expected to bring a radical change in this field E-governance is the most attractive,
interesting, useful people-oriented and growing phenomenon and has become one
of the pivotal parts of administrative reform to bring good governance in any
country (Moon, 2002).

Methodology
The study is based mainly on secondary data. Some primary data were
collected through discussion with the government officials of Dhaka and
Chittagong. Secondary data were collected from different books journals, websites,
etc. The performance of Bangladesh in E-governance development was measured
based on the survey conducted by United Nations in 2012. Here the performance
of Bangladesh was compared with other countries of SAARC, as Bangladesh
belongs to this region and is a member of SAATRC. It shares mostly similar socio-
economic and political situation with other countries. To present these data
different statistical tools like average, chart, etc. were used.
Objectives of the Study
The study is aimed at fulfilling the following objectives:
 To conceptualize e-governance and E-governance in Bangladesh context;
 To evaluate performance of Bangladesh in implementing e-governance;
 To recognize probable challenges and ways to overcome those;

Limitation
Disadvantages OF E-GOVERNANCE IN BANGLADESH
The main disadvantages concerning E-governance is the lack of equality in public
access to the internet, reliability of information on the web, and hidden agendas of
government groups that could influence and bias public opinions. There are many
considerations and potential implications of implementing and designing E-
governance, including disintermediation of the government and its citizens,
impacts on economic, social, and political factors, vulnerability to cyber attacks,
and disturbances to the status quoin these areas:
Internet connectivity:Many of the government offices are out of Internet
confectioner using very slow Internet connection. Though, Bangladesh connected
with high speed fiber optics connection but all of the government offices are not
connected to the internet yet. So, most of government officials cannot get the
opportunity to use the internet and different types of government websites lack of
internet connection and computer. According to Internet world status report
only3.5 percent people use internet among the total population till 2011
Internal network: All Government offices of different ministries of Bangladesh are
not within the same network. One ministry cannot share their data with another
ministry and government is not using properly the ICT in their offices. So the
implementation e-governance is not very fruitful for the public.
Security issues: Amodern organization requires security of all kinds of ICT assets
where the government is no exceptional. Threats and attacks to the ICT assets may
come in different forms from different sources. In the case of e-governance, the
sourceof attacks can be internal or external to the government. With the sharp
division of the government employees, the possibility of internal attacks should not
be ruled out in Bangladesh. Employees who are working within e-governance
projects may misuse the access privileges for financial or other gains. Threats may
come from external sources like professional hackers, criminal organizations,
terrorist organizations, and intelligence and investigation agencies. Professional
hackers, having excellent technical skills, can break into e-governance systems.

The aim of such attackers is only sadistic pleasure of disrupting e-governance
services to the citizens. This attack may be occurred on financial sector in future
when fully automated online transaction will be started in e-governance services
Central database problem: Bangladesh government did not design any central
database for citizen’s access using through internet. Even there is no available
information of any citizen in government offices to use any emergency situation.
For this reason government officers have to face many difficulties to identify any
personfor any special reason.
Problemat financial sector:It is not possibleto transfer of funds through online
from one bank to others banks using internet for the lack of national transaction
gateway. There is no proper agreement with the international online payment
gateway and the Central bank of Bangladesh yet. Forthis reason, it is not possible
to transfer fund from any international bank to local bank from outside the
Bangladesh.
Use of computer: Government has developed many websites for the different
government sectors but public can not getting the full benefits of e-Governance
using different websites due to no-automation system of government websites.
Such as, people cannot fill-up any online form of government website’s to get full
functional of e-governance services yet. People cannot depositannual income tax
through National Board of Revenue (NBR) Website till now.
Financial problems: Bangladeshis a developing country. Financial limitation is the
main barrier for implementing any project. Government has to consider many
things to implement any large project. Most of the times, government has to
depend on foreign investors, developed countries or World Bank. Without support
of others Bangladesh government cannot run any large project with self fund.
Public awareness about government portal:His majority of the government
officials and public are unaware about the e-Citizens Service application portal.
Very few percent of the government officials and general people of the country are
aware about the portal. Only few portions of the people are using the e-governance
portal.

Lack of Training: Trained people can play the vital role for implementing
e-governance project. Unfortunately, majority portion of government
officials do not have enough training on Computer yet. It is a big barrier
for implementing e-governance
Scope of the study
Advantages OF E-GOVERNANCEIN BANGLADESH
E-governance helps simplify processes and makes access to government
information more easily accessible for public sector agencies and
citizens. For example, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles simplified
the process of certifying driver records to be admitted in county court
proceedings. Indiana became the first state to allow government records
to be digitally signed, legally certified and delivered electronically by
using Electronic Postmark technology. In addition to its simplicity, e-
democracy services can reduce costs. Alabama Department of
Conservation & Natural Resources, Wal-Mart and NIC developed an
online hunting and fishing license service utilizing an existing computer
to automate the licensing process. More than 140,000 licenses were
purchased at Wal-Mart stores during the first hunting season and the
agency estimates it will save $200,000 annually from service. The
anticipated benefits of E-governance include efficiency, improved
services, better accessibility of public services, sustainable community
development and more transparency and accountability.
Democratization
One goal of E-governance will be greater citizen participation. Through
the internet, people from all over the country can interact with
politicians or public servants and make their voices heard. Blogging and
interactive surveys will allow politicians or public servants to see the
views of the people they represent on any given issue. Chat rooms can
place citizens in real-time contact with elected officials, their offices or
provide them with the means to replace them by interacting directly with

public servants, allowing voters to have a direct impact and influence in
their government. These technologies can create a more transparent
government, allowing voters to immediately see how and why their
representation in the capital is voting the way they are. This helps voters
better decide who to vote for in the future or how to help the public
servants become more productive. A government could theoretically
move more towards a true democracy with the proper application of E-
governance. Government transparency will give insight to the public on
how decisions are made and hold elected officials or public servants
accountable for their actions. The public could become a direct and
prominent influence in government legislature to some degree.
Environmental bonuses
Proponents of E-governance argue that online government services
would lessen the need for hard copy forms. Due to recent pressures from
environmentalist groups, the media, and the public, some governments
and organizations have turned to the Internet to reduce this paper use.
Speed, efficiency, andconvenience
E-governance allows citizens to interact with computers to achieve
objectives at any time and any location, and eliminates the necessity for
physical travel to government agents sitting behind desks and windows.
Improved accounting and record keeping can be noted through
computerization, and information and forms can be easily accessed,
equaling quicker processing time. On the administrative side, access to
help find or retrieve files and linked information can now be stored in
databases versus hardcopies stored in various locations. Individuals with
disabilities or conditions no longer have to be mobile to be active in
government and can be in the comfort of their own homes.
Public approval
Recent trials of E-governance have been met with acceptance and
eagerness from the public. Citizens participate in online discussions of
political issues with increasing frequency, and young people, who

traditionally display minimal interest in government affairs, are drawn to
electronic voting procedures. Although internet-based governmental
programs have been criticized for lack of reliable privacy policies,
studies have shown that people value prosecution of offenders over
personal confidentiality. Ninety percent of United States adults approve
of Internet tracking systems of criminals, and 57% are willing to forgo
some of their personal internet privacy if it leads to the prosecution of
criminals or terrorists.
Overview of the topic
Bangladesh is a small country with a population of more than 135 million people. It was part of
India until 1947 and then part of Pakistan until 1971, when it achieved independence. As a
young nation, Bangladesh began its journey as a socialist economy that placed most major
industries under government ownership and control.
This trend was especially adverse for the country’s telecommunication industry, which has yet
to fully recover from years of inefficient management by the Bangladesh Telegraph and
Telephone Board (BTTB). As of 2002, telephone penetration (fixed and mobile) had reached
only 1.32 per 100 people, far below that of neighbors India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Telephone
lines are heavily concentrated in urban areas.
BTTB charges for telephone calls are among the highest in the world, with the costs of Internet
access through dial-up services commensurably expensive. Due to some shortsighted decisions
by the government, Bangladesh is still not directly connected to the Global Information
Superhighway, leaving ISPs to connect to it through satellite or Very Small Aperture Terminals
(VSATs).

Despite these constraints, some positive developments are taking hold. In the last few years,
some private operators have begun to operate in the mobile telephony sector. The fixed
telephony sector has recently been liberalized, with resulting scope for the entry of private
operators. Internet service providers have emerged in scores, promoting a heavily competitive
environment. Fiber optic cables have been laid through much of the country to carry Internet
traffic.
Steps are being taken to link Bangladesh to the Global Information Superhighway through
underwater submarine cables, while BTTB charges have begun to be reduced. The
establishment of a national Internet backbone to carry domestic Internet traffic is being
discussed at the highest policy-making levels. BTTB now provides dial-up Internet services to all
64 districts. In addition, a new regulatory body—the Bangladesh Telecommunication
Regulatory Commission (BTRC)—has been established to promote liberalization, competition,
and greater efficiency in the telecommunication industry. The potential of E-governance is
heavily dependent on the establishment of an affordable and broadly accessible ICT
infrastructure to deliver online services. With the recent steps outlined above, Bangladesh is
setting the stage for the gradual proliferation of E-governance services throughout the country
Literature Review
The implementation of e- governancein developing nations faces many challenges. For
example, Node suggests political commitment as the most important factor for the
implementation of E-governance in developing nations. Dalai views laws regarding openness as
the backbone of the success for E-governance. Chen and Knepper propose a set of elements for
successful adoption of E-governance. Many other authors have contributed to this issue.
Literature suggests that a vast majority of the studies used case studies and qualitative
approaches. Based on the existing body of knowledge, our research classifies determinants into
four categories, e.g. institutional, resource-related, access-related and legal aspects. Each of these
categories is briefly discussed in the following sub-sections.
Institutional Factors
Institutional factors such as political commitment, administrative leadership and organizational
structure are considered critical for E-governance implementation. For example, Coursey and
Norris and Koh et al view political commitment and appropriate organizational structure as the
two key factors for E-governance adoption. A similar view is expressed by Kettle. According to
OECD, the most important element for successful reform is the strength and consistency of
support from the highest political level. For any reform to materialize, political commitment is

considered to be the most important success criterion especially in the context of developing
nations suggests that 'public sector leaders must embrace E-governance as a tool to transform
and improve government and connect it to the people it serves. Singh asserts that the top officials
within a department are the main driving forces for making any sustainable changes. Therefore,
it is critical that they have a clear understanding of the definition and scope of E-governance.
While political commitment is the milestone of any change, administrative leadership with
effective management process is crucial.
Resource-RelatedFactors
Resource-related factors such as technical, financial and human resources are critical for E-
governance implementation. The shortage of IT skills is identified as a major constraint for
introducing E-governance in developing nations. More-over, there is a lack of institutional
support to develop expertise and skills related to E-governance application. Hence, many E-
governance projects in developing nations suffer from acute shortages of skilled human
resources. Generally, E-governance projects are inter sectoral or inter-organizational in nature.
Dawes and Prado suggest that inter-organizational projects often lack adequate financing.
Chaffey highlights that resource-shared projects are often implemented on an ad-hoc basis where
financial and man power supports are generally inadequate to sustain these projects. A similar
view has also been expressed by Edisto and Norris et al. Technical capability is related to the
computer hardware, software, and expertise required for implementing projects. E-initiatives
demand investments for securing hardware, software, and expertise. Bonham et al. and Bourn
indicate the lack of technical infrastructure as a significant barrier to deliver e-services. The ICT
infrastructure in developing nations is generally weak and at the same time the use of ICT is low
Hence, the E-governance adoption becomes more challenging when sub-optimal use of available
infrastructure is added to inadequate technical infrastructure.
Analysis
The ICM analysis was applied to twelve determinants of E-governance implementation in
Bangladesh. The analysis was conducted in the following manner. The mean values for twelve
assessment determinants on importance and commitment were calculated. A t-test was conducted
to ascertain the significance of difference between what is important and what has so far been
committed for E-governance implementation as perceived by the respondents. As is apparent
from the analysis that the top three determinants as perceived by the respondents are 'political
commitment' (mean = 4.88), 'human resource' (mean = 4.80), and administrative leadership
(mean = 4.37). From the commitment perspective, the top three determinants are political
commitment (mean = 3.46), economic resource (mean = 3.24), and administrative leadership
(mean = 3.05). Overall, the mean importance values of all determinants are higher than the mean
values of commitment except for the 'economic resource' and 'technical resource' determinants.
These differences are found to be statistically significant for all determinants except for the
'technical resource' determinant.
Similar analysis was conducted for the higher-level determinants. The results show that the most
important higher-level determinant is 'institutional' issues (mean = 4.46), followed by 'access'
(mean = 3.93) and 'legal' aspect of E-governance implementation (mean = 3.88). The least

important higher-level determinant is 'resource' (mean = 3.60) (Table 7), whereas, the current
commitment- level is highest for the 'resource' determinant (mean = 2.93), closely followed by
the 'institutional' determinants (mean = 2.87). The respondents perceived that currently the least
commitment is being given to the 'legal' aspects of E-governance (mean = 1.74). The difference
between means of importance and means of commitment are statistically significant expect for
‘resource’.
The overall mean values of importance and commitment were calculated. The low and high
values used to draw the vertical and horizontal axis were decided based on the relative rather
than the absolute levels of importance and commitment. The position of the cross-hairs that
divide the matrix into four quadrants is critical as it since influences the interpretation of the
results (Figure 3). Since mean and median values are close, mean values were used as the
dividing points in this study, to avoid discarding useful information. Twelve determinants of E-
governance implementation that were located in the four quadrants of importance-commitment
map are shown in Figures 3. The analysis shows that two determinants fall into quadrant 'low
priority', three into 'possible overkill', two into 'keep up the good work', and five into 'concentrate
here' category. Figure 3 also shows an isolating line, where commitment equals importance.
Findings
The results indicate that fromthe supply perspective the critical determinants of
E-governanceare political commitment, administrative leadership, human
resource, organizationalstructureand regulatory framework. Thecritical
determinants fromthe demand perspective include education in general and
education in ITin particular, and awareness. It appears fromtheresults that
currently there is a high degree of political commitment, and administration
leadership to introduce E-governancein Bangladesh.
Fromthese results the following recommendations can be suggested:
 Build awareness of E-governanceamong governmentofficials through
training.

 Develop awareness and improveaccess to citizens: E-governanceto be
accessible to all users, thegovernmentshould investresources and
introduce necessary policies to extend ICTs.
 Recruit ICTskilled human resourcein governmentagencies to ensure the
sustainability of the projects.
 Develop appropriateorganizationalstructures for E-governance
implementation and formulate appropriateregulatory framework for
monitoring systems.
 Results of this research can easily be transferred to other developing
nations.

Conclusion
Governmentis the key player in the process of e-governance. But it is not possible
on the part of the governmentalone to bring about the expected revolutionary
change in the field of e-governance. Governmentand privateinitiatives as well as
NGOs can contribute much towards this end. The donor agencies should also
realize the need of implementing e- governancein the developing countries like
Bangladesh and can play a proactiverole in this regard. As we know lion’s shareof
our development budget comes fromforeign as aid, donation, loan, etc. But fund
is not the only factor, what is importanthere is to make a long-termplan through
dialogue with experts and consensus with all the political parties and to
implement e-governancegradually. As time is passing, it is to be remembered
that bureaucracy and delay in this regard is not desirable. Otherwisethe optimum
benefit frome-governancecan’t be obtained. Itis a matter of pleasure that
governmentis realizing the need for wide spread use of ICTin governance. But
real effort to materialize this end is non-existence.
Recommendation
The activitiesof CAHDEconstitute aconcrete and substantive follow-upactiontoRecommendationRed
(2004)15” and that “a strong correlationexistsbetweene-governance ande-democracy.E-Governance
isbasedupon,and stronglylinkedtodemocraticvaluesandpractice.E-democracy,inturn,necessitates
e-governance.Numerousconcepts, policiesandpracticesof e-democracyare equallyapplicabletoe-
governance.E-Governance concerns the same institutionsase-democracy.

References
[1] http:// vvww.thedailystannet/supplements/2011/anniversary/part1/
pg13.htm
[2]http://goliath.ecnext.com / coms2 /giO 199- 683885/introducing-E-
governance-in-bang ladesh.html
[3] Internet World Stats, http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/bd.htm
[4] Prof. I. Kushchu , Md WahidulHabib , Chowdhury GolamHossan, successand
failure factors for E-governanceprojects implementation in developing
countries: a study on the perception of governmentofficials of Bangladesh,2011
[5]Population and housing census 2011 Bangladesh at a glance, 2011
[6]Ziauddin Ahmed, Electricity Crisis of Bangladesh: Result of Organizational
Inefficiency, Energy and EnvironmentResearch Vol. 1, No. 1; December 2011
K.A.M. Morshed, E-Governance: Bangladesh Perspective,
[7]http://www.unpanl.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/AP
CITY/UNPANO26253.pdf
[8]Country Reports on Local Government
Systems:angladesh,http://www.unescap.org/huset/Igstudy/new-countrypaper/
Bangladesh/ Bangladesh.pdf.

Report on E-governance in Bangladesh

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