Country Presentation BangladeshCountry Presentation Bangladesh

Access to Internet: Bangladesh Access to Internet: Bangladesh Perspective Perspective

Presented by:Presented by:

Akber HossainAkber HossainSenior Assistant Secretary Senior Assistant Secretary

Government of the PeopleGovernment of the People’’s Republic of Bangladeshs Republic of BangladeshMinistry of Science and Information & Communication Technology (Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology (MoSICT)MoSICT)

Phone: +880Phone: +880--22--9566571, Fax: +8809566571, Fax: +880--22--7161960671619606EE--mail:mail: most@bangla.netmost@bangla.net Web site:Web site: http://www.mosict.gov.bdhttp://www.mosict.gov.bd

Global indicators workshop on community access to Global indicators workshop on community access to ICTsICTsMexico CityMexico City

1616--19 November 200419 November 2004

CountryCountry ProfileProfile

1. Area 1. Area : 144000 : 144000 Sq.KmSq.Km

2. Population 2. Population : 123.15* Million : 123.15* Million

3. Population density 3. Population density : about 880/ sq. Km.: about 880/ sq. Km.

4. Divisions 4. Divisions : 6: 6

5. Districts 5. Districts : 64: 64

6. Sub Districts (6. Sub Districts (UpazilaUpazila) : 465) : 465

7. Unions (rural) 7. Unions (rural) : 4484: 4484

8. Villages (rural) 8. Villages (rural) : 87319: 87319

9. Municipalities (urban ) 9. Municipalities (urban ) : 223: 223

10. City Corporation 10. City Corporation :6:6

11.Per capita GDP11.Per capita GDP : About USD 346: About USD 346

* Source: Population Census 2001* Source: Population Census 2001

Telecom Infrastructure in BangladeshTelecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh!! Fixed line Telephone : 0.83 Million, (digital: 0.79 M) (PuFixed line Telephone : 0.83 Million, (digital: 0.79 M) (Public Sector)blic Sector)!! Digitalized District : 64Digitalized District : 64!! Digitalized Sub district : 165 ( out of 465, 100% Coverage will Digitalized Sub district : 165 ( out of 465, 100% Coverage will be be

within 2005)within 2005)!! Mobile Telephone : 3.00 Million (Private Sector Mobile Telephone : 3.00 Million (Private Sector !! Teledensity : 2.90 line per 100 people (PSTTeledensity : 2.90 line per 100 people (PSTN & Mobile) N & Mobile) !! Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission established iBangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission established in n

20022002!! Telephone call charge reduced significantly Telephone call charge reduced significantly !! Recently fixed line phone sector has been opened for private secRecently fixed line phone sector has been opened for private sector tor

investment.investment.!! Mobile telecoverage reaches most of the rural areasMobile telecoverage reaches most of the rural areas!! 82000 82000 GrameenGrameen Phone serving remotest areasPhone serving remotest areas!! Recently VOIP legalizedRecently VOIP legalized

Telecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh contd..Telecom Infrastructure in Bangladesh contd..

!!1800 KM fibre optic cable under Bangladesh Railway 1800 KM fibre optic cable under Bangladesh Railway isis being utilizad being utilizad by by thethe private mobile telephone operatorprivate mobile telephone operator

!! Fibre optic link between few districts existing under BTTBFibre optic link between few districts existing under BTTB

!!Packet Switching Exchange in 9 Packet Switching Exchange in 9 bigbig District HQ established District HQ established forfor data data communication by BTTBcommunication by BTTB

!!Etablishment Etablishment ofof DDN DDN NodeNode in 17 district under progressin 17 district under progress

!!BTTB’s 1 million mobile phone project is yet to be implemented iBTTB’s 1 million mobile phone project is yet to be implemented in n 20052005

!!Fibre optic link between Fibre optic link between allall district district isis planned by BTTBplanned by BTTB

InternetInternet!! First introduced in 1996First introduced in 1996!! Number of ISPs : 159 ( 64 are activelNumber of ISPs : 159 ( 64 are actively providing services)y providing services)!! 80% ISPs are located at capital Dhaka80% ISPs are located at capital Dhaka!! Government owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB)Government owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB)

has extended ISP services to all 64 district HQ and 165 Sub disthas extended ISP services to all 64 district HQ and 165 Sub district HQ out rict HQ out of 465of 465

!! ISP Subscriber : 0.2 Million(10% arISP Subscriber : 0.2 Million(10% are broad band e broad band available only at Dhaka and available only at Dhaka and ChittagongChittagong City area and rest are dial up)City area and rest are dial up)

!! Number of Internet users 2 MillionNumber of Internet users 2 Million!! Bandwidth range: Dial upBandwidth range: Dial up--32kbps to 56 kbps, BB32kbps to 56 kbps, BB--64kbps to 8 mbps64kbps to 8 mbps!! Technology uses: VSATTechnology uses: VSAT!! Submarine cable yet to be connected in 2005Submarine cable yet to be connected in 2005!! PC Penetration rate is very low: 1.5 Sets /1000 PeoplesPC Penetration rate is very low: 1.5 Sets /1000 Peoples!! Internet connection slow and costly, not affordable by general pInternet connection slow and costly, not affordable by general peopleeople!! Establishment of Internet Exchange is under implementationEstablishment of Internet Exchange is under implementation

Internet in rural areasInternet in rural areas

!! Villages and Unions where 80% of the rural peoples lives are stiVillages and Unions where 80% of the rural peoples lives are still out of reach ll out of reach of internet facilities of internet facilities

!! In a very few places of these rural areas some NGOs are workingIn a very few places of these rural areas some NGOs are working for internet for internet connectivity, such as: connectivity, such as:

GrameenGrameen communication (ISP)communication (ISP)Village eVillage e--mail Servicesmail ServicesVillage internet ProgramVillage internet ProgramVillage cyber kioskVillage cyber kiosk

www.grameen-info.org/gc

GrameenGrameen ShaktiShakti (ISP)(ISP)Village eVillage e--mail Servicesmail ServicesVillage internet ProgramVillage internet Program

www.gshakti.com

Community Community ee--CentresCentres!! At present Government do not have any Community At present Government do not have any Community ee--CentresCentres programprogram!! Ministry of Science and ICT has taken a program to set up few Ministry of Science and ICT has taken a program to set up few centrescentres as as

pilot basis in cooperation with ADB and Commonwealth Secretariatpilot basis in cooperation with ADB and Commonwealth Secretariat..!! Some NGOs and SDNP of UNDP has setup very few Some NGOs and SDNP of UNDP has setup very few centrescentres where access where access

to internet by community availableto internet by community available!! Cyber Cafes are working as Community eCyber Cafes are working as Community e-- CentresCentres!! Approximately 500 Cyber Cafes are in operation, most of them areApproximately 500 Cyber Cafes are in operation, most of them are located located

at Dhaka and at Dhaka and ChittagongChittagong CityCity!! Some are in other District HQSome are in other District HQ!! A very few are in the Sub district levelA very few are in the Sub district level

ICT in BangladeshICT in Bangladesh

!! ICT has been declared as the ICT has been declared as the thrust sectorthrust sector by the by the Government. Government.

!! A A National ICT Task ForceNational ICT Task Force, headed by the , headed by the Honorable Prime Minister herself leads the ICT Honorable Prime Minister herself leads the ICT initiatives in the country. initiatives in the country.

National ICT Policy 2002National ICT Policy 2002This Policy aims at building an ICT-driven nation comprising of knowledge-based society by the year 2006. In view of this, a country-wide ICT-infrastructure will be developed to ensure access to information by every citizen to facilitate empowerment of people and enhance democratic values and norms for sustainable economic development by using the infrastructure for human resources development, governance, e-commerce, banking, public utility services and all sorts of on-line ICT-enabled services.

Policy Statements regarding community Policy Statements regarding community access to the internetaccess to the internet

(3.2.16 )The Internet facility will be extended to all the district headquarters and subsequently to its adjacent areas uptoSubdistrict levels.

(3.2.17) Internet will be provided to the educational institutions and libraries.Toensure public access to information, Cyber Kiosks will be set up in all Post offices, Union complex and Upzila complex. Private sector participation will be encouraged to set up these facilities.

Indicators of Community AccessIndicators of Community Access

!! No authenticated surveys has been done so far to asses the needsNo authenticated surveys has been done so far to asses the needs of of community to access to the internet.community to access to the internet.

!! As per ITU Digital Access Index 2002 the position of BangladeshAs per ITU Digital Access Index 2002 the position of Bangladesh is 0.18is 0.18

!! Major government efforts are in the field of Infrastructure deveMajor government efforts are in the field of Infrastructure development lopment and HRD in ICTand HRD in ICT

!! Common peoples, specially the young, are very much enthusiastic Common peoples, specially the young, are very much enthusiastic to the to the access to the internetaccess to the internet

!! 11stst Bangladesh Internet Fair in April 2004 conducted by the ISP Bangladesh Internet Fair in April 2004 conducted by the ISP Association of Bangladesh proved the interest of the common peopAssociation of Bangladesh proved the interest of the common peoplele

!! Number of internet subscribers as well as users of internet cafeNumber of internet subscribers as well as users of internet cafes are s are increasing significantly during recent past.increasing significantly during recent past.

About About QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

!! Indicators used in the questionnaire are not fully appropriate Indicators used in the questionnaire are not fully appropriate for a LDC like Bangladesh though the indicators are well for a LDC like Bangladesh though the indicators are well defineddefined

!! Necessary/authenticated data are not available in the countryNecessary/authenticated data are not available in the country

!! Questions regarding number of Cyber Cafes, number of Questions regarding number of Cyber Cafes, number of internet connections in Educational Institutions, number of internet connections in Educational Institutions, number of Community Community ee--CentresCentres and number of users etc may be added and number of users etc may be added for easy understanding of the questionnaire. for easy understanding of the questionnaire.

Positive Steps towards ComputerizationPositive Steps towards Computerization

! Exemption of tax on Computer items! Distribution of computers to schools! Computerization of government offices! Launching of websites of government, (e.g.

www.bangladesh.gov.bd) Ministries/DivisionsLegislature, Judiciary and Local Government institutions

! Abolition of state monopoly in Telecom ! Use of Computers at the sub-district level

Constrains For Development Constrains For Development Of ICT Sector in Bangladesh Of ICT Sector in Bangladesh

!! Low compute penetration Low compute penetration !! Low Low teledensityteledensity!! Internet access show and expensiveInternet access show and expensive!! Bangla interface lackingBangla interface lacking!! Weak data communication infrastructure Weak data communication infrastructure !! Absence of legal infrastructureAbsence of legal infrastructure

•• No law against cyber crimeNo law against cyber crime••No law of electronic authentication No law of electronic authentication ••No electronic certification authorityNo electronic certification authority

!! Lack of public awareness about Lack of public awareness about ICTsICTs!! Lack of adequate human resourceLack of adequate human resource!! Brain DrainBrain Drain

Thanks . . . . .

Welcome Welcome Comments, Comments, QuestionsQuestions . . . .. . . .