Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam stressed the need for optimum use of ICT in providing civic amenities to the city dwellers.
“It is quite impossible to ensure civic facilities for people without optimum use of ICT. Innovative thoughts and optimum use of ICT are required
to build a developed, modern, people-friendly and smart city,” he said this on Tuesday while speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop in the capital.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) arranged the workshop titled ‘Smart City Innovative-Bangladesh’ at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
Speaking as the chief guest, Atiqul urged ICT experts, university teachers and young researchers to come forward with their innovative thoughts and conduct research on civic amenities to help build a smart city. He assured them of providing all-out support from the DNCC in this regard. Observing that the city corporation must increase its revenue income to provide better services to its dwellers, the city mayor said the DNCC are not able to collect tax from households and business establishments through the conventional system of tax collection.
He sought the help of engineers to find out ways to increase the city corporation’s revenue income by using ICT and expanding tax net, but not increasing the tax rate.
Putting emphasis on the use of ICT in transport sector, Atiqul said city’s traffic congestion could be minimized through innovative thoughts and research.
He said the ICT can play a vital role in telemedicine, disaster management, safe drinking water supply, recreation, aforestation and gardening.
Chaired by Prof Selina Shahnaz of Bangladesh University of Science and Technology (BUET), the workshop was addressed, among others, by Prof Dr Saifur Rahman of Virginia Tech University, USA, and Dr Ramakrishna Kappagantu of India.
