Shawdesh Desk:

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that her government was working to transform the country into ‘Smart Bangladesh’ from a digital one by 2041.

‘We will build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country by 2041. That Bangladesh will be a Smart Bangladesh. We will transform into Smart Bangladesh from the digital one,’ she said.

The prime minister said that her government was working to successfully implement the four bases of building ‘Smart Bangladesh’ that included making smart citizens, smart economy, smart government and smart society.

In Smart Bangladesh, everything would be done through technology where the citizens would be efficient in using technology and the entire economy would be run through technology, she said.

She added that a huge task had already been done to make the government as well as the society as smart.

Describing the young generation as soldiers of transforming Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country by 2041, she said, ‘Youths will have to prepare yourselves as smart citizens being soldiers of 2041.’

The prime minister said this while addressing a programme as the chief guest marking the Digital Bangladesh Dibos-2022 and distributing prizes among the winners of the online quiz competition and Digital Bangladesh Puruskar (award)-2022.

At the programme, she also inaugurated the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib High-Tech Park in Rajshahi, having Joy Silicon Tower, Bangabandhu Digital Museum and a Cineplex  and Sheikh Kamal Information Communication Training and Incubation Centre in Barishal district.

The Information and Communication Technology Division organised the function at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital city with the theme Advanced Technology, Inclusive Development. The prime minister also unveiled the cover of digital and print versions of two books on Sheikh Kamal and Digital Bangladesh.

State minister for information and communication technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Affairs Ministry AKM Rahmatullah spoke at the function.

Senior secretary of Information and Communication Technology Division NM Zeaul Alam gave the address of welcome.

Theme song of the Digital Bangladesh Dibos-2022, marking 14 years of building a digital Bangladesh, was also screened alongside broadcasting an audio visual documentary on Digital Bangladesh.

On December 12 in 2008, Sheikh Hasina made the announcement of the initiative to build a digital Bangladesh as the main premise of ‘Vision 2021.’