Smart City Week began here on Wednesday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre aiming to bring innovative solutions integrating citizens’ participation, technology, infrastructure and public policy for co-creating smart cities in Bangladesh.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Access to Information (a2i) of the Prime Minister’s Office, along with other urban stakeholders, jointly organised the weeklong event, a UNDP press release said.
Addressing the inaugural session of the event, Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Dr. Salina Hayat Ivy said Bangladesh is striving to establish Digital Bangladesh, and all the cities have to convert to smart cities.
“Technology alone can’t make our cities smart, unless we don’t act as responsible citizens,” she said adding that “the growing population and transportation in cities are the major challenges to build smart cities.”
UNDP country director Sudipto Mukerjee, secretary general of Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) and Mayor of Kotalipara Municipality HM Ahidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of University of Asia Pacific Prof Dr Jamilur Reza Choudhury and Swedish Ambassador in Dhaka Charlotta Schlyter, among others, spoke on the occasion held with director general (Administration) of Prime Minister’s Office Kabir Bin Anwar in the chair.
A three-day Smart City Innovation Hub was also introduced, during the launching session, which will connect city leaders, professional experts, young innovators and anyone who has a stake in our cities to present innovative ideas, models, and concepts that offer smart solutions to Bangladeshi urban challenges.
There will also be hackathon, interactive sessions, photography exhibition and other activities during this seven-day event.
Bangladesh is fast-approaching its urban future; today’s urban population of 55 million will double to over 100 million by 2050. This poses serious challenges for basic services and worsening living conditions and also can impact how well Bangladesh achieves the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Smart City Week is designed to come up with solutions and a set of recommendations to address the challenges on the closing day on December 5, 2017.
