20,196 to get training in digital connectivity

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division has proposed a project under the title “Digital Connectivity” to train 20,196 people in various aspects of information technology.

Of these total trainee, 40 will go to China and the remaining 20,158 will take training in the country.

However, the offer of overseas training was more. It has been reduced due to the objection of the Planning Commission.

Of the total project cost of 5,883 crore taka, 2,505.17 crore taka will be spent from the government's own funds and 3,038.56 crore taka from the Chinese government's loan.

Regarding the matter, Additional Secretary (Planning and Development) of Information and Communication Technology Division Bikarna Kumar Ghosh said, “We need more training because there are still not enough experts in the ICT sector.”

“Besides, the training that will be given now will be with the Fourth Industrial Revolution in mind. The future will depend on IT. For example, if workers in the garment sector do not develop IT skills, many may become unemployed in the future,” he added.

When asked about the need to undertake such an initiative amid the pandemic, Bikarna Kumar Ghosh said, this will create master trainers in the country, who can, in turn, train more people. Moreover, such training can not be taken from Bangladesh.

Regarding the project, economist Dr AB Miraza Azizul Islam said the government should be careful that foreign training is not just about travelling abroad. Those who go abroad should come back and train others.

However, training is required for such projects. But we have to make sure that these training are realistic and effective, he added.

According to sources, the project includes setting up of Sheikh Russell Digital Lab, Broadband and User Connectivity, Specialized Lab, Central Cloud Platform and Frontier Technology Center of Excellent, District and Upazila level complex and IT infrastructure with Digital Village and a 21-storey I.C. Activities complex will be implemented.

The Planning Commission has already completed the processing of the project which will soon be presented at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
If approved, it will be implemented by the Department of Information and Communication Technology starting from this year and by December 2024.

According to sources, a meeting of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) was held on January 9 last year. It was said at the meeting that the number of training needs to be based on the need to achieve the goals and objectives of the project and the number of trainees should be determined logically accordingly.

In this context, it has been explained by the organization concerned with the project, to ensure 100 percent broadband penetration rate in Bangladesh by 2025, 1 lakh 9 thousand 244 broadband connections will be established across the country at the marginal level.

Besides, 10,000 Sheikh Russell Digital Labs will be set up in the country to improve the quality of education, 555 shared ICT infrastructures including LANs will be set up at district and upazila level, and 56 advanced computer labs will be set up in government universities.

In addition, infrastructure for ISPD for CRFS Plus Plus and field enrollment infrastructure for CRVS implementation will be set up.

Considering these technical issues, the number of trainees was determined to manage the post-project activities smoothly. In this case, training was offered to 6,125 people. Later about 3,000 people were reduced to 3,365 people.

The expenditure has been also been reduced by 13.53 lakh taka. In the interest of making the technical infrastructure established through the project sustainable and maintaining quality, the number of trainees has been determined at a proportionate need base and rationally.

ask/zn