Rural people reaping benefits of digitisation in Rangpur

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RANGPUR, Oct 9, 2019 (BSS) – The rural people are reaping enormous
benefits from digitisation programmes, one of the 10 special initiatives of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accelerating their development for building a
developed country.

Talking to BSS, Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Md Asib Ahsan said
digitisation has become the most effective tool in reaching government
services to rural people’s doorsteps through the union digital centres
(UDCs).

“The digital facilities have become inseparable parts of civic life in
rural areas and younger generations believe that every village would be
turned into a town with modern urban facilities in the near future,” he said.

The rural people are easily getting information and necessary services
through the UDCs at all 77 unions of the district about agriculture, health,
education, admission, law, human rights, employment, marketing produce and
many other fields.

Entrepreneur Arifuzzaman Moon of Saddyapuskorini UDC in Sadar upazila said
rural people are getting 35 to 38 types of services quickly, easily and at
the lowest costs from his UDC like other UDCs across the district.

“The UDCs are providing many services like land related documents and
mutation, composing, printing, photo, scanning, e-mailing and talking to
others using internet both at home and abroad and multimedia projector
facilities,” Moon said.

Digitisation under the access to information (a2i) programme of the Prime
Minister’s Office has ensured easier access to information and communication
technology for rural youths also helping them to earn through outsourcing
sitting at homes.

“Digitisation is speeding up rural development in turning every village
into a town to build a middle income nation by 2121, attain SDGs by 2030 and
build a developed country by 2041, as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina,” Moon added.

Talking to BSS at the Saddyapuskorini UDC, farmers Rahim Uddin and Mohan
Chandra said they are easily getting information on crop farming, pests’
management, agri-technologies, seed and fertiliser and pesticide managements
there.

“I downloaded all information regarding admission in the public
universities from the UDC through internet and applied for taking part in
admission tests,” said student Kamal of village Osmanpur in Badarganj
upazila.

Senior District Information Officer Md Humayun Kobir said digitisation has
created a social renaissance accelerating development in every sector and
making civic life easier and dependent on online digital services everywhere
in rural areas.

Principle of Lalkuthi School and College Abdur Rous Sarker here said many
educational institutions in rural areas are easily managing academic,
administrative, attendance, examinations and results and accounts related
activities using digital facilities.

“The epoch-making digitisation programme has built an irreversible and
stronger ground to build a middle income Bangladesh, and subsequently
developed country, as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” Sarker
added.

Associate Professor of Begum Rokeya University Dr Tuhin Wadud said
digitisation has become helpful for students, youths, farmers, men, women,
teachers and socio-cultural activists in rural areas where the UDCs are
reaching all e-services to them.

“By virtue of digitisation, all indexes of rural people are increasing by
cutting poverty, improving public health status, preventing militancy,
terrorism, drug abuse, child marriage and other social curses,” Tuhin added.