BSS-64 President, PM greet all on occasion of ‘Digital World 2020’

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BSS-64

PRESIDENT-PM-DIGITAL-WORLD

President, PM greet all on occasion of ‘Digital World 2020’

DHAKA, Dec 08, 2020 (BSS) –President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate message, greeting all on the occasion of the ‘Digital World 2020’, the country’s largest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Expo, to be inaugurated tomorrow under the auspices of ICT Division, Bangladesh.

The 7th edition of ‘Digital World 2020’ will be held from tomorrow (December 9) to December 11 with the theme – ‘Socially Distanced, Digitally Connected’, an official release said here today.

In his message, the President said in the era of globalization, time-befitting ICT system is essential for national development and progress.

“Keeping that in view, the government of Bangladesh announced ‘Vision 2021’ for building a Digital Bangladesh in 2009,” the head of the state said, adding that the dream of Digital Bangladesh has already turned into reality by the current government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He said the government has built necessary infrastructure to ensure the use of ICT alongside bringing the unions, upazilas, districts and divisions under ICT connectivity with an aim to deliver services to the doorsteps of the people.

Massive development initiatives are taken to develop human resources, high-tech parks, e-governance, e-commerce and domestic IT industry, he said, adding that as a result, citizens of this country have embraced the information technology with ease and now they are using IT in their daily lives.

He mentioned that Bangladesh’s bold efforts and successes in the digital domain have received appreciation at the international stage such as the international awards:‘WITSA Global ICT Excellence Award’ in 2019 and 2020, ‘WSIS Winner Award’ in 2019 and 2020, ‘DCD APAC Award 2019’ and ITU Award 2019.

He believed ‘Digital World 2020’ will be a noteworthy platform for accomplishing bigger dreams and will provide scope for showcasing our innovations before the people at home and abroad.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “I am happy to know that the largest ICT fair of the country ‘Digital World 2020’ is being held on 9-11 December 2020 in Dhaka. I think, the theme of this year- ‘Socially distanced, digitally connected’ has become time-befitting during COVID-19 situation and our digital capability to combat the threat.”

She mentioned that the greatest Bengalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attached special importance to science and technology sector as a tool to rebuild war-ravaged Bangladesh after independence.

The premier added that under his(Bangabandhu) dynamic leadership, Bangladesh became a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1973.

He(Bangabandhu) established the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) in the same year, she said, adding that Father of the Nation set up the country’s first ground satellite station at Betbunia to develop telecommunication technology.

“Following Bangabandhu’s footsteps, the digitalization process that we initiated 12 years back has created huge opportunities for people to become change-makers, especially in connectivity, banking, communications, education, healthcare, e-tendering, e-governance, e-commerce, F-commerce and many other socio-economic areas,” she said.

“These efforts have strengthened our global position in the ICT sector. In alignment with the Vision-2021, both the public and private sectors have been continuing their efforts to leverage ICT for creating opportunities and solutions for our society. Thus, the digital transformation that we started in 2009 to build ‘Digital Bangladesh’ is now a reality,” she continued.

She hoped that all will be able to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed-prosperous one by 2041 through the use of digital technology in the overall development of the country.

The premier believed the mega expo will promote IT exports and the use of ICT in every sphere of life.

Both the president and the premier wished the three-day long ICT fair ‘Digital World 2020’ a grand success.

BSS/PR/SRH/RY/21:40hrs