DHAKA, July 31, 2022 (BSS) - State Minister of ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said after reaching the fiber optical up to union level, the government is now working to link about two lakh 'points of connect' by optical fiber by 2025.

"We have set a target of connecting about two lakh points of connect, including 109,000 educational institutions, 3,500 land offices and 18,000 health clinics, across the country through optical fiber by 2025," he said.

Palak said this at a function for distributing the Best Reporting Award on 'Digital Bangladesh' among journalists at the Parjatan Bhaban in the city on Saturday evening.
 
A total of nine journalists were given the award under two categories- television and print, and online media - after evaluating 300 reports published and aired in different TVs, radios, print and online media on the government's land marking initiatives to transform the country into 'Digital Bangladesh' by 2021.

Sheikh Rakibullah Hasan of 71TV, Kumar Bishwajit Roy of BTV, Mursalin Haque Zunaed of Channel 24 and Shihab Hossain of Bangla Vision won the award under the television category and Ummul Wara Sweety of the daily Desh Rupantor, Samir Kumar Dey of the Daily Ittefaq, Syed Altefat Hossain of BSS, Abu Saleh Sadaat of Dhaka Post and Rashed Mehedi of the Daily Samakal won the prize under the print and online media category.

The ICT state minister said the government is working to ensure high-speed and reliable internet connectivity at every household through optical fiber so that cyber caf, can be set up at every village across the country.

The work of establishing 300 schools of future, equipped with required technologies for coping with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), is at the final stage, Palak said.

"We hope, we could launch the schools on Sheikh Russel Day on October 18 if honorable Prime Minister can give time on the day," he added.

The ICT state minister made an announcement that the journalists of the country will be included in digital leadership training programme so they can lead the world in the 4IR.
 
He said the ICT Division is going to launch a modern portal named 'Janatar Sarkar' incorporating 56 ministries and divisions within the next two or three months to ensure more participation of the people in the decision making process of the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Apart from helping in formulating government policies, Palak said, this portal will create work opportunities for the journalists.

"After the implementation of Digital Bangladesh, now we have started working to build an intelligent, creative, developed and innovative Smart Bangladesh by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Vision-2041," he said, adding that an outline for building the 'Smart Bangladesh' would be published by September this year.

ICT Division Senior Secretary NM Zeaul Alam presided over the function virtually and PM's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher gave welcome address in the event.

Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority Managing Director Bikarna Kumar Ghosh and jury board member and Editor of DBC News Zayedul Ahsan Pintu spoke at the function.

BSS Managing Editor Anisur Rahman and officials of the ICT Division and Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority were present at the event, among others.