8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

1/16

Country Presentation BangladeshCountry Presentation Bangladesh

Access to Internet: BangladeshAccess to Internet: Bangladesh PerspectivePerspective

Presented by:Presented by:

Akber HossainAkber HossainSenior Assistant SecretarySenior Assistant Secretary

Government of the PeopleGovernment of the Peoples Republic of Bangladeshs Republic of Bangladesh

Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology (Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology (MoSICT)MoSICT)Phone: +880Phone: +880--22--9566571, Fax: +8809566571, Fax: +880--22--7161960671619606

EE--mail:mail: most@bangla.netmost@bangla.net Web site:Web site: http://www.mosict.gov.bdhttp://www.mosict.gov.bd

Global indicators workshop on community access toGlobal indicators workshop on community access to ICTsICTs

Mexico CityMexico City1616--19 November 200419 November 2004

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

2/16

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

3/16

CountryCountry ProfileProfile

1. Area1. Area : 144000: 144000 Sq.KmSq.Km

2. Population2. Population : 123.15* Million: 123.15* Million

3. Population density3. Population density : about 880/ sq. Km.: about 880/ sq. Km.

4. Divisions4. Divisions : 6: 6

5. Districts5. Districts : 64: 64

6. Sub Districts (6. Sub Districts (UpazilaUpazila) : 465) : 4657. Unions (rural)7. Unions (rural) : 4484: 4484

8. Villages (rural)8. Villages (rural) : 87319: 87319

9. Municipalities (urban )9. Municipalities (urban ) : 223: 223

10. City Corporation10. City Corporation :6:6

11.Per capita GDP11.Per capita GDP : About USD 346: About USD 346

* Source: Population Census 2001* Source: Population Census 2001

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

4/16

Telecom Infrastructure in BangladeshTelecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh

!! Fixed line Telephone : 0.83 Million, (digital: 0.79 M) (PuFixed line Telephone : 0.83 Million, (digital: 0.79 M) (Public Sector)blic Sector)!! Digitalized District : 64Digitalized District : 64

!! Digitalized Sub district : 165 ( out of 465, 100% Coverage willDigitalized Sub district : 165 ( out of 465, 100% Coverage will bebe

within 2005)within 2005)!! Mobile Telephone : 3.00 Million (Private SectorMobile Telephone : 3.00 Million (Private Sector

!! Teledensity : 2.90 line per 100 people (PSTTeledensity : 2.90 line per 100 people (PSTN & Mobile)N & Mobile)

!! Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission established iBangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission established inn20022002

!! Telephone call charge reduced significantlyTelephone call charge reduced significantly

!!

Recently fixed line phone sector has been opened for private secRecently fixed line phone sector has been opened for private sectortorinvestment.investment.

!! Mobile telecoverage reaches most of the rural areasMobile telecoverage reaches most of the rural areas

!! 8200082000 GrameenGrameen Phone serving remotest areasPhone serving remotest areas

!! Recently VOIP legalizedRecently VOIP legalized

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

5/16

Telecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh contd..Telecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh contd..

!!1800 KM fibre optic cable under Bangladesh Railway1800 KM fibre optic cable under Bangladesh Railway isis being utilizadbeing utilizad

byby thethe private mobile telephone operatorprivate mobile telephone operator

!! Fibre optic link between few districts existing under BTTBFibre optic link between few districts existing under BTTB

!!Packet Switching Exchange in 9Packet Switching Exchange in 9 bigbig District HQ establishedDistrict HQ established forfor datadata

communication by BTTBcommunication by BTTB

!!EtablishmentEtablishment ofofDDNDDN NodeNode in 17 district under progressin 17 district under progress

!!BTTBs 1 million mobile phone project is yet to be implemented iBTTBs 1 million mobile phone project is yet to be implemented inn

20052005

!!

Fibre optic link betweenFibre optic link between allall districtdistrict isis planned by BTTBplanned by BTTB

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

6/16

InternetInternet

!! First introduced in 1996First introduced in 1996

!! Number of ISPs : 159 ( 64 are activelNumber of ISPs : 159 ( 64 are actively providing services)y providing services)

!! 80% ISPs are located at capital Dhaka80% ISPs are located at capital Dhaka

!! Government owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB)Government owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB)has extended ISP services to all 64 district HQ and 165 Sub disthas extended ISP services to all 64 district HQ and 165 Sub district HQ outrict HQ out

of 465of 465

!! ISP Subscriber : 0.2 Million(10% arISP Subscriber : 0.2 Million(10% are broad bande broad band

available only at Dhaka andavailable only at Dhaka and ChittagongChittagong City area and rest are dial up)City area and rest are dial up)

!! Number of Internet users 2 MillionNumber of Internet users 2 Million

!! Bandwidth range: Dial upBandwidth range: Dial up--32kbps to 56 kbps, BB32kbps to 56 kbps, BB--64kbps to 8 mbps64kbps to 8 mbps

!! Technology uses: VSATTechnology uses: VSAT!! Submarine cable yet to be connected in 2005Submarine cable yet to be connected in 2005

!! PC Penetration rate is very low: 1.5 Sets /1000 PeoplesPC Penetration rate is very low: 1.5 Sets /1000 Peoples

!! Internet connection slow and costly, not affordable by general pInternet connection slow and costly, not affordable by general peopleeople

!! Establishment of Internet Exchange is under implementationEstablishment of Internet Exchange is under implementation

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

7/16

Internet in rural areasInternet in rural areas

!! Villages and Unions where 80% of the rural peoples lives are stiVillages and Unions where 80% of the rural peoples lives are still out of reachll out of reachof internet facilitiesof internet facilities

!! In a very few places of these rural areas some NGOs are workingIn a very few places of these rural areas some NGOs are working for internetfor internetconnectivity, such as:connectivity, such as:

GrameenGrameen communication (ISP)communication (ISP)

Village eVillage e--mail Servicesmail Services

Village internet ProgramVillage internet Program

Village cyber kioskVillage cyber kiosk

www.grameen-info.org/gc

GrameenGrameen ShaktiShakti (ISP)(ISP)

Village eVillage e

--mail Servicesmail Services

Village internet ProgramVillage internet Program

www.gshakti.com

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

8/16

CommunityCommunity ee--CentresCentres

!! At present Government do not have any CommunityAt present Government do not have any Community ee--CentresCentres programprogram

!! Ministry of Science and ICT has taken a program to set up fewMinistry of Science and ICT has taken a program to set up few centrescentres asas

pilot basis in cooperation with ADB and Commonwealth Secretariatpilot basis in cooperation with ADB and Commonwealth Secretariat..!! Some NGOs and SDNP of UNDP has setup very fewSome NGOs and SDNP of UNDP has setup very few centrescentres where accesswhere access

to internet by community availableto internet by community available

!! Cyber Cafes are working as Community eCyber Cafes are working as Community e-- CentresCentres

!! Approximately 500 Cyber Cafes are in operation, most of them areApproximately 500 Cyber Cafes are in operation, most of them are locatedlocatedat Dhaka andat Dhaka and ChittagongChittagong CityCity

!! Some are in other District HQSome are in other District HQ

!! A very few are in the Sub district levelA very few are in the Sub district level

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

9/16

ICT in BangladeshICT in Bangladesh

!! ICT has been declared as theICT has been declared as the thrust sectorthrust sector by theby the

Government.Government.

!! AA National ICT Task ForceNational ICT Task Force, headed by the, headed by the

Honorable Prime Minister herself leads the ICTHonorable Prime Minister herself leads the ICT

initiatives in the country.initiatives in the country.

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

10/16

National ICT Policy 2002National ICT Policy 2002

This Policy aims at building an ICT-driven nationcomprising of knowledge-based society by the

year 2006. In view of this, a country-wide ICT-

infrastructure will be developed to ensure accessto information by every citizen to facilitateempowerment of people and enhance

democratic values and norms for sustainableeconomic development by using the

infrastructure for human resources development,governance, e-commerce, banking, public utilityservices and all sorts of on-line ICT-enabled

services.

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

11/16

Policy Statements regarding communityPolicy Statements regarding community

access to the internetaccess to the internet

(3.2.16 )The Internet facility will be extendedto all the district headquarters and

subsequently to its adjacent areas uptoSubdistrict levels.

(3.2.17) Internet will be provided to theeducational institutions and libraries.To

ensure public access to information, Cyber

Kiosks will be set up in all Post offices,Union complex and Upzila complex.

Private sector participation will be

encouraged to set up these facilities.

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

12/16

Indicators of Community AccessIndicators of Community Access

!! No authenticated surveys has been done so far to asses the needsNo authenticated surveys has been done so far to asses the needs ofof

community to access to the internet.community to access to the internet.

!! As per ITU Digital Access Index 2002 the position of BangladeshAs per ITU Digital Access Index 2002 the position of Bangladesh is 0.18is 0.18

!! Major government efforts are in the field of Infrastructure deveMajor government efforts are in the field of Infrastructure developmentlopment

and HRD in ICTand HRD in ICT

!! Common peoples, specially the young, are very much enthusiasticCommon peoples, specially the young, are very much enthusiastic to theto the

access to the internetaccess to the internet

!! 11stst Bangladesh Internet Fair in April 2004 conducted by the ISPBangladesh Internet Fair in April 2004 conducted by the ISP

Association of Bangladesh proved the interest of the common peopAssociation of Bangladesh proved the interest of the common peoplele

!! Number of internet subscribers as well as users of internet cafeNumber of internet subscribers as well as users of internet cafes ares are

increasing significantly during recent past.increasing significantly during recent past.

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

13/16

AboutAbout QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

!! Indicators used in the questionnaire are not fully appropriateIndicators used in the questionnaire are not fully appropriate

for a LDC like Bangladesh though the indicators are wellfor a LDC like Bangladesh though the indicators are welldefineddefined

!! Necessary/authenticated data are not available in the countryNecessary/authenticated data are not available in the country

!! Questions regarding number of Cyber Cafes, number ofQuestions regarding number of Cyber Cafes, number of

internet connections in Educational Institutions, number ofinternet connections in Educational Institutions, number of

CommunityCommunity ee--CentresCentres and number of users etc may be addedand number of users etc may be added

for easy understanding of the questionnaire.for easy understanding of the questionnaire.

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

14/16

Positive Steps towards ComputerizationPositive Steps towards Computerization

! Exemption of tax on Computer items

! Distribution of computers to schools

! Computerization of government offices

! Launching of websites of government, (e.g.

www.bangladesh.gov.bd) Ministries/DivisionsLegislature, Judiciary and Local Governmentinstitutions

!

Abolition of state monopoly in Telecom! Use of Computers at the sub-district level

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

15/16

Constrains For DevelopmentConstrains For Development

Of ICT Sector in BangladeshOf ICT Sector in Bangladesh!! Low compute penetrationLow compute penetration

!! LowLow teledensityteledensity

!! Internet access show and expensiveInternet access show and expensive!! Bangla interface lackingBangla interface lacking

!! Weak data communication infrastructureWeak data communication infrastructure

!! Absence of legal infrastructureAbsence of legal infrastructure No law against cyber crimeNo law against cyber crime

No law of electronic authenticationNo law of electronic authentication

No electronic certification authorityNo electronic certification authority!! Lack of public awareness aboutLack of public awareness about ICTsICTs

!! Lack of adequate human resourceLack of adequate human resource

!! Brain DrainBrain Drain

8/7/2019 21_bgd_e

16/16

Thanks . . . . .

WelcomeWelcome

Comments,Comments,

QuestionsQuestions . . . .. . . .