<incom> FW: [bytesforall_readers] Re: Birth of Bangladesh Telecentre Network, BTN
Michael Gurstein
gurstein at gmail.com
Sat Mar 8 06:40:15 CET 2008
-----Original Message-----
From: bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Shahjahan Siraj
Sent: March 7, 2008 7:09 PM
To: voice-of-south at yahoogroups.com; bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com;
ict_of_bangladesh at yahoogroups.com; bangla_ict at yahoogroups.com;
banglaict at googlegroups.com; Sayeed Rahman
Subject: [bytesforall_readers] Re: Birth of Bangladesh Telecentre Network,
BTN
Dear Colleagues,
As a ICT4D practitioner I agree with Mr. Shuvra's opinions and would like to
add : The ICT4D platforms particularly NGOs nowadays in Bangladesh are not
focusing Local Content producing ( even most of org don't have own website
with quality content ) which is the precondition for solving the digital
gap/ divide. We are saying many things and spending lots ( which public
money come for Bangladesh unprivileged poor people ) in local and global
event/ meeting which makes only job opportunity/ aboard trip/ consultancy
for ICT elites. Most of case directly-indirectly promote Telecom/ IC T
giants business. My feedback, they are not so committed to change/ develop
the system for peoples benefits. Still now I have hope. Our former prime
minister declared to make, " ICT center" in Governmental post-office and
local library. I appreciate this idea. Yes, the library/ post office based "
Info Center" could be sustainable. Only one well Internet connected
computer/ person can change one villages. However if we can put touch-screen
with internet connectivity in public service centers would be very
effective. During my last visit in Japan; I enjoyed such initiatives in
remote Japanese-village ......
Anyway we should think/ refresh our motivation & ideas with view of local
need and capability; not with the motivation to be giant ICT service
providers. If we can be and can do initiatives objectively as local people
need, the situation must be changed. One more things, from last month event
of Netherlands I got idea, the developing world is not getting good result
as the "e" as "Electronic" or as "extended" ( for example e-learning should
be "extended learning " or "electronic learning "; e-governance should be
"extended governance" not as "electronic governance")
Cheers
Siraj
----- Original Message -----
From: Shahidul <mailto:s_shuvera at yahoo.com> Shuvra
To: bytesforall_ <mailto:bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com>
readers at yahoogroups.com ; ict_of_bangladesh@
<mailto:ict_of_bangladesh at yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com ;
bangla_ict at yahoogro <mailto:bangla_ict at yahoogroups.com> ups.com ;
banglaict at googlegro <mailto:banglaict at googlegroups.com> ups.com ; Sayeed
Rahman <mailto:banglait at gmail.com> ; voice-of-south@
<mailto:voice-of-south at yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 2:40 AM
Subject: Voice of South :: Birth of Bangladesh Telecentre Network, BTN
Birth of Bangladesh Telecentre Network, BTN
Shahidul K K Shuvra
We are witnessing the rise of some ICT For Development (ICT4D) programmes in
the country. For Last few years some NGOs are changing their traditional
track by involving ICTs in their projects and also only ICT4D oriented NGOs
are coming in the almost open field.
Now ICT sector is not only in the grip of traditional business people. Like
such businessmen NGO activists are seeking profits and benefits in ICT4D
projects. They even claim some NGOs are alleviating poverty with the diverse
options of ICTs. It has been propagating that some of rural people are using
mobile phones, radio communication technology and even computer for the
needs of every day.
Few months back as IT journalists we attended at the gathering of Bangladesh
Telecentre Network, BTN. The showdown of 17 NGOs under an umbrella stunted
the ICT community for its over ambitious and romantic declaration. BTN has
started its activities with Mission 2011, and promised to build country-wide
sustainable information and knowledge system for the poor with the member
organisations by the 40th anniversary of the country's independence.
Chief Adviser of the Caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed inaugurated
the programme titled 'Mission 2011: Building a Sustainable Information and
Knowledge System for the Poor and Marginalised' at the Bangladesh China
Friendship Convention Centre (BCFCC). With the aim of setting up 40,000
telecentres across the country the NGO coalition Bangladesh Telecentre
Network (BTN) facilitated the largest event for ICT4D. But completely we
cannot say it is an NGO network because some of its partners are not
involved with typical NGO activities. Literately they are not just bounded
with only NGO's missions and visions. To arrange the event BTN has taken
sponsors from corporate bodies like Microsoft, BRAC Net, Bdjobs etc.
We IT writers attended the event to know more about the mission of BTN. The
NGO coalition failed to give criteria to define what is actual telecentre
because they could not clarify what kind of equipment a telecentre will keep
before saying it a telecentre. Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury, Chairperson of BTN,
said at the event, "Such telecentres will have more facilities than typical
cyber cafés. The telecentre can be the backbone for serving people with
diverse information. In the near future people may be able to cast their
vote in the digital system enriched centre."
This statement of Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury did not reflect the definition of
what is telecentre while BTN key members were speaking to the journalists at
the press conference after the inauguration. They admitted containing a
radio at a Rikshaw can be called a telecentre, which is contrary to the
claim of Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury.
Before the 'Mission 2011: Building a Sustainable Information and Knowledge
System for the Poor and Marginalised' BTN sent some papers to journalists
regarding telecentre where we did not find the exact definition of
telecentre in the context of the country because most of the papers were
downloaded from international websites like Wikipedia. BTN should have made
exact definition of telecentre with matching the context of Bangladesh. They
should know downloaded materials from international websites cannot increase
merits of their works.
Building criteria for defining a telecentre is needed because there is a
chance for manipulation. Unscrupulous NGOs can ask donation from a donor by
showing a tree shadow is telecentre. Furthermore, one of the NGO members of
BTN branded as corrupt NGO in media recently and some of the NGOs have no
remarkable projects and successes.
Just after the inauguration of BTN's event along with the audience
journalists saw a short documentary film showing ICTs brought blessing to
the life of rural people, agility in their working fields and people are
exploring the diverse options of ICTs. The documentary film was funny and
fake item because it was done by NGOs' own actors and actress.
BTN is inspired by telecentre.org which is working under the funding of
Microsoft, other corporate bodies and corporate world based donors.
Microsoft like info-tech giants are looking for market in the developing
countries or least developed countries. One of their strategies is to enter
a developing country with the name of charity, education, health care and
ICT4D. Then few years later they start investment recovering endeavour with
taking business monopoly.
Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) is also corporate world funded
international body for ICT4D to create market of ICTs in the developing
countries. Bangladeshi ICT4D NGOs are closely associated with the global
body. Slogan of the body is "Emerging People, Emerging Market and Emerging
Technology' that ensures their serving purposes to the corporate world under
the camouflage of ICT4D.
Often with declaring some charity and social responsibility works
multinational companies first set up businesses in developing countries. By
such missions they develop hot relation with private and government bodies,
and also create good image to draw public attentions. After a few years they
start real business and recover much more higher money than that they have
invested here for charity purposes. BTN and telecentre.org are blessed by
the corporate fund to serve their purposes.
Making ICT4D profitable business may hamper the growth of IT enable services
and software industry. If software industrialists find ICT4D is profitable
business and more awarding than software engineering, then many software
industrialist can switched off to ICT4D projects that will bring a disaster
to our software export. Recently we saw several failed software businessmen
are getting place in ICT4D businesses.
We hope BTN will not be an umbrella body to earn donation, especially from
corporate body. Corporate funded NGO cannot develop lifestyle of the
commoners except creating market for them.
The Independent
7 March
<http://www.theindependent-bd.com> http://www.theindependent-bd.com
Shahidul K K Shuvra
The Independent, Bangladesh
In-charge of IT and Science pages
Cell- 01715245459
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