BSS-53 Joy takes part in intervention of Estonia-UNDP project launching

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Joy takes part in intervention of Estonia-UNDP project launching

NEW YORK, Sept 27, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy today took part in an intervention of the launch of Estonia-UNDP cooperation project on digital transformation.

Estonian President Kersti Kalijulaid and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner spoke at the project launching function titled “Launch of Estonia-UNDP Cooperation: Digital Transformation as Sustainable Development Pathway” at the conference room 8 in the UN Headquarters here this morning.

PM’s Additional Press Secretary Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the event.

He said both the Estonian president and UNDP administrator highly praised Bangladesh’s digitisation programme under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed.

Achim Steiner highly appreciated the UNDP-funded Access to Information (a2i) project saying that this scheme played an important role in human resource development in Bangladesh.

In her intervention, Sajeeb Wazed highlighted the background of Bangladesh’s digitization programme, saying there was hardly digital technology 10 years back in the country.

Referring to the year 2001, digital technology was introduced partially in only 5/6 government offices at that time, he said.

The PM’s ICT adviser said the present Awami League government before the 2008 election incorporated its Digital Bangladesh programme in its election manifesto.

After assuming office by the present government in 2009, the country witnessed digital revolution, he said.

Sajeeb Wazed said the government gave importance to four issues in its journey towards Digital Bangladesh — digitisation of the government offices, building facilities, creating human resources and setting up IT industries.

“We’ve taken the digital services up to the village level through establishing union digital centres, he said, adding the project has been taken through the public-private partnership.

Minh Thu Pham, executive director for policy, the United Nations Foundation, was the moderator of the event, while Finish Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Elina Kalkku and Head of Department of Multilateral Relations and Cooperation of Namibia Ambassador Lineekela also took part in the intervention of the project launching function, the PM’s additional press secretary said.

BSS/SH/MRU/2254hrs