Access to information in Bangladesh

Access to Information
এটুআই
Agency overview
Formed 2007 (2007)
Jurisdiction Government of Bangladesh
Headquarters Dhaka
23°46′48″N 90°22′29″E / 23.779883°N 90.374823°E / 23.779883; 90.374823Coordinates: 23°46′48″N 90°22′29″E / 23.779883°N 90.374823°E / 23.779883; 90.374823
Motto জনগণের দোরগোড়ায় সেবা, Service @ Doorsteps
Minister responsible
  • Mustafa Jabbar, Minister of Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology
Agency executives
  • Anir Chowdhury, Project Manager
  • Md. Mustafizur Rahman, Project Director
Parent agency ICT Division
Website a2i.gov.bd

Access to information in Bangladesh or a2i (Bengali: এটুআই) is a UNDP and USAID-supported Access to Information Programme ran from the Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh.[1]

History

The programme is part of Vision 2021, a political manifesto of the Bangladesh Awami League party before winning the National Elections of 2008.[2] Anir Chowdhury is the current adviser to the a2i Programme.[3] The Programme aims to provide information to the citizens per "Right to Information Act of 2009"[4] and bring about a change in the Bangladesh Civil Service to a citizen-centric service delivery system.[5]

In May 2015, a2i signed a deal with the Norway-based telecommunications company Telenor Digital to develop digital services of the government in order to make public and private services to become more accessible to the people in remote areas.[6]

In January 2016, Microsoft Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a2i programme with a view to providing training on computer hardware and software use to Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs in 5,273 digital centers nationwide.[7]

Recognition

The project won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) award in 2014 and 2015.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ "We need to digitalise our higher education". The Daily Star. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "ICT expo to showcase 'Digital Bangladesh'". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  3. ↑ "We need to digitalise our higher education". The Daily Star. 2016-11-06. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  4. ↑ "Understanding 'right to information'". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  5. ↑ "a2i – Access to Information". www.a2i.pmo.gov.bd. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "A2I signs deal with Telenor to drive development in Bangladesh". The Daily Star. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  7. ↑ "Microsoft signs MoU with A2i programme". The Daily Star. 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  8. ↑ "a2i project gets WSIS award for second straight year". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
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