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Bangladesh on high priority list of ICT
assistance
UNB, Geneva
Sept 19: Bangladesh is on the list of high priority countries
for getting financial assistance for the development of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
"Bangladesh can be the example of reducing poverty applying
ICT in various sectors, including agriculture. It is now on
high priority list for providing financial assistance in this
sector," said Gerolf Weigel, Chairman of the International
Advisory Panel for ICT for Development (ICT4D) Platform of
WSIS.
In
an exclusive interview with UNB, Weigel said ICT is playing a
catalysing tool for development. Bangladesh should take
integrated plan to use ICT as an agenda for poverty reduction.
Weigel, who is also the Head of ICT4D Division of Swiss Agency
for International Development and Co-operation (SDC), visited
Dhaka twice in connection with BFES and GKP conferences on ICT
issues.
He
said efforts of the government and civil society are needed as
he thinks financial assistance would not be a problem for
Bangladesh.
"May be Bangladesh started its journey late in the ICT field,
but I think it accelerated its active initiatives to cope with
the latest situation," Weigel said.
About World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), he said
Bangladesh's activities are positive and the WSIS process will
create awareness among the world people to fulfil the WSIS
target about ICT.
WSIS have fixed its target to ensure wireless connectivity
among the world people gradually by the year 2015. The target
is to gradually connect all villages across the world by 2010
with a community access point by 2015.
All the universities across the world are to be connected by
2005, secondary schools by 2010 and all primary schools by
2015.
Besides, it also fixed its target for connecting all
scientific centres and hospitals by 2005 while all public
libraries by 2006 and all cultural centres, museum, archives
and health centres by 2010.
"We hope, it's a great opportunity for countries to go ahead
in the light of the WSIS action plan on ICT to be connected
with the world," Weigel said. "Now it will depend on the
respective countries how they will take this opportunity."
Drawing on his experience about the country, he said
Bangladesh is a potential country, which can go forward using
ICT to reduce poverty. Weigel said Swiss Development Agencies
also have very positive attitude about development of ICT in
Bangladesh. "We will extend more co-operation in this regard,"
he said.
Source: The Independent
September 20, 2003 |
