By making arrangement of E-Governance, ICT sector can bring transparency and accountability in the governance. It also brings efficiency and effectiveness of the government. For example, there was a haphazard situation in the country when BTTB began distributing the SIM card of mobile phone. But when government began to use Internet then it became easier. It will also be effective in a disaster. After the hurricane “Katrina” in USA, it plays a very important role especially in finding out the scattered relatives and providing lines guide.
Situation Analysis The diffusion of personal computers into the Bangladesh user market started in the mid 1990s and progressed at a rate slower than in other countries in the region. From a historical perspective the first main frame computer was introduced in the country in 1968 and the first PC was purchased in 1981. High cost and limited access to technology slowed the diffusion of PCs in the country. The recent increase in PC density was due to improvement of computing technology leading to worldwide drop in price, and the government's withdrawal of all forms of taxes and duties from this sector. Government reforms to promote this sector include the formation of the Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission, and opening up of the fixed phone market to private entrepreneurs. Bangladesh went “online” in mid-1996, at around the same time as most SouthCentral Asian countries. Reliance solely on satellite solutions, has however, translated into limited bandwidth and slow access speeds. To circumvent such problems, Bangladesh is going to be connected to the global fiber optic link through the submarine cable consortium. To distribute this huge bandwidth the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board is considering connecting the national network with the global Internet backbone via high speed fiber optic link. The government also establishesd a “ICT Incubator Center” in Dhaka at Kaoran Bazar to help this sector. Challenges Challenge 1: Improving infrastructure Though Bangladesh government declared ICT sector as a thrust sector, the required infrastructure not been developed yet properly. The government will have to do much more in this sector.
Challenge 4: Language To get maximum benefit from the ICT sector, the local language, Bangla should be introduced. Strategies: l Developing infrastructure. l Special measure should be take to use local software. l Immediate action should be taken to use Bangla in computer. l Legaliz the use of VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocal). l Starting E-Governance. Telephone: Development in the third world has often meant the emergence of isolated pockets of modernization, sheltering strata with a different economy and life style. Large swathes of society remain unaffected by new technology and opportunities. The introduction of village Pay Phone (VPP) in rural Bangladesh based on the use of cellular technology represents a unique experiment in high-tech communication in a traditional low-tech setting. An initiative of Grameen Bank, VPP has been a successful attempt to leapfrog the technological barrier for rural areas where the prospect for expansion of the government-run telephone system remains rather distant. Poor rural women selected from amongst Grameen borrowers are given a loan to acquire a cell phone from Grameen Telecom. The operator uses the cell phone as a pay phone as for the village population. The women have gained social recognition as 'telephone ladies' in their localities as they are seen to provide a key service to the community often ensuring that overseas migrant workers can talk directly with their families or farmers can access relevant market information. Increased labour mobility and greater market integration indeed has created a significant demand for telephone services amongst the rural population including the rural poor. The VPP thus fulfills growing social need. At the same time, it acts as a direct vehicle for poverty alleviation as it allows the operators to significantly enhance their income levels often averaging between 100 to 200 dollars a month66.
Challenge 2: Increasing PC diffusion The growth of Internet users is impeded by low PC diffusion in the country; low literacy rate; lack of infrastructure such as teledensity for Internet connections; lack of localized content and operating system. Internet reach is, however, steadily increasing mainly due to the proliferation of cyber-cafés and kiosks. Challenge 3: Skilled manpower To develop required skill manpower is another challenge.
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The most pronounced impacts were found in a general reduction of transaction costs and uncertainty (reduced need for travel, quicker access to information, more choice). The isolation of many villages has been reduced. The most frequent user groups were
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