UNB, Dhaka :
Directors (Entrepreneur) of Bangladesh Digital Centres, a key driver in the effort to establish ‘Digital Bangladesh’, formerly known as Union Parishad Information Centre, are demonstrating for nationalization of their positions.
Under the banner of Bangladesh Digital Centre Entrepreneurs Forum (BDCF), they are organizing a ‘demonstration until death’ programme at the Central Shahid Minar starting Saturday, with participation of directors from around the country.
They are also demanding the cancellation of the post of Assistant Accountant-cum-computer operator in the Union Parishad. President of BDCF Hashim Uddin told UNB that the introduction of this post will have an adverse impact on their own jobs. Almost ten thousand will be left unemployed with the decision.
We have passed the age limit to enter into new government jobs working as UDC directors. Sometimes we are harassed by the Chairman of the Union Parishad. So we demand permanent appointments to our position, said Hashim Uddin.
In no mood to compromise, the BDCF president also pledged We will not go back home without the decision (to nationalize their posts). We will starve to death if needed. Attacking us will affect Digital Bangladesh, as we are the ones working out in the field to implement the dream of building Digital Bangladesh.
Rakib, director of the digital centre of Kaneshwar Union of Damudya Upazila in Shariatpur, told UNB that the circular for the post of the assistant accountant-cum-computer operator was unnecessary, as was the post it set up.
We are able to provide the service that the new post is meant to provide. We have six years
of experience running the centres, now we demand permanent appointment to our posts unconditionally, he said.
A total of 4,501 Union Information and Services Centres (UISCs) were established at all Union Parishads and inaugurated simultaneously in November, 2010 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and then-UNDP head and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, in order to translate the dream of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ into reality and disseminate the digital services to the grassroots level.
UISC evolved from the earlier CeC (Community e- Centre) as a Public Service Delivery Channel at union level. Two CeCs were established under a pilot utilizing the Democratic Government Thematic Trust Fund (DGTTF) of UNDP in 2007.
CeCs were recognized as a driver project of the UNDP-supported Access to Information (A2I) Programme based out of the Prime Minister’s Office in early 2008. The A2I programme is often considered the formal blueprint of ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
Local Government Division (LGD) started CeCs in 30 Union Parishads to start with, and eventually established UISCs in all Union Parishads of Bangladesh.
In 2014, all the centres at union, municipality and ward levels were rebranded by A2I as ‘digital centres’.
Each centre is operated by two local entrepreneurs – ideally one female and one male – who invest in the centre, and is supervised by the associated Union Parishad.
Currently, a total of 10,433 entrepreneurs including 3986 females, are working at 5275 digital centres, also known as service points, providing 106 types of services otherwise almost inaccessible to people in remote parts of the country.
Directors (Entrepreneur) of Bangladesh Digital Centres, a key driver in the effort to establish ‘Digital Bangladesh’, formerly known as Union Parishad Information Centre, are demonstrating for nationalization of their positions.
Under the banner of Bangladesh Digital Centre Entrepreneurs Forum (BDCF), they are organizing a ‘demonstration until death’ programme at the Central Shahid Minar starting Saturday, with participation of directors from around the country.
They are also demanding the cancellation of the post of Assistant Accountant-cum-computer operator in the Union Parishad. President of BDCF Hashim Uddin told UNB that the introduction of this post will have an adverse impact on their own jobs. Almost ten thousand will be left unemployed with the decision.
We have passed the age limit to enter into new government jobs working as UDC directors. Sometimes we are harassed by the Chairman of the Union Parishad. So we demand permanent appointments to our position, said Hashim Uddin.
In no mood to compromise, the BDCF president also pledged We will not go back home without the decision (to nationalize their posts). We will starve to death if needed. Attacking us will affect Digital Bangladesh, as we are the ones working out in the field to implement the dream of building Digital Bangladesh.
Rakib, director of the digital centre of Kaneshwar Union of Damudya Upazila in Shariatpur, told UNB that the circular for the post of the assistant accountant-cum-computer operator was unnecessary, as was the post it set up.
We are able to provide the service that the new post is meant to provide. We have six years
of experience running the centres, now we demand permanent appointment to our posts unconditionally, he said.
A total of 4,501 Union Information and Services Centres (UISCs) were established at all Union Parishads and inaugurated simultaneously in November, 2010 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and then-UNDP head and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, in order to translate the dream of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ into reality and disseminate the digital services to the grassroots level.
UISC evolved from the earlier CeC (Community e- Centre) as a Public Service Delivery Channel at union level. Two CeCs were established under a pilot utilizing the Democratic Government Thematic Trust Fund (DGTTF) of UNDP in 2007.
CeCs were recognized as a driver project of the UNDP-supported Access to Information (A2I) Programme based out of the Prime Minister’s Office in early 2008. The A2I programme is often considered the formal blueprint of ‘Digital Bangladesh’.
Local Government Division (LGD) started CeCs in 30 Union Parishads to start with, and eventually established UISCs in all Union Parishads of Bangladesh.
In 2014, all the centres at union, municipality and ward levels were rebranded by A2I as ‘digital centres’.
Each centre is operated by two local entrepreneurs – ideally one female and one male – who invest in the centre, and is supervised by the associated Union Parishad.
Currently, a total of 10,433 entrepreneurs including 3986 females, are working at 5275 digital centres, also known as service points, providing 106 types of services otherwise almost inaccessible to people in remote parts of the country.
