+

Bridging the Digital Divide in Bangladesh: A Case Study

Study by Md. Anwarul Islam & Keita Tsuji (2011)

+Bangladesh

+Demographic Information

Population: 153, 546, 896 (p. 507)

Bangladesh is one of the “least developed and overpopulated nations in the world” (p. 507)

76% of people live in rural communities (p. 507)

Percentage of households with computers: 1.36% (p. 509)

Percentage of households with internet access: 0.3 % (p.

509)

Percentage of people with mobile phones: 11.29%(p. 509)

(Please note: all of these statistics are from 2008).

+“Digital Bangladesh”

The current government of Bangladesh has stated the vision for their country to be as follows: “Digital Bangladesh by 2020” (p. 519). The following case study seeks to enumerate the various initiatives that are occurring within Bangladesh in order to bridge the digital divide in both the public and private spheres. More specifically, the study investigates the use of information communication technologies (ICT), and community information centers (CIC). ICT’s include things such as (mobile) phones, computers, and of course, the internet. CIC’s are usually spaces that house these technologies, giving people access to these crucial services. Akbar (2004) notes that “ICT greatly facilitates the quick and easy access to information and knowledge which offers the socially marginalized and unaware community unprecedented opportunities to attain their own entitlements” (as cited in Islam & Tsuji, 2011, p. 507). The ‘construction’ of CICs has become increasingly popular in many countries including Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, and India (p. 513).

+ROLES of CIC’s in bridging the

digital divide globally

Islam & Tsuji (2011, p. 515-516) outline many ways in which CIC’s work to bridge the digital divide. Below is a sampling of perhaps some of the most important motivations behind these initiatives: Provide Information Services (access to health

information, job postings, literacy programs, government documents etc.)

Communication (email and instant messaging) Market access and e-commerce (necessary for these

‘disadvantaged markets to flourish) Knowledge sharing Agricultural information

+Most common uses and barriers

of CIC’s globally

According to a study conducted in 2009 by INFOCUBE (as cited in Islam & Tsuji, 2011, p. 517) by polling 815 users of CIC’s in various developing countries the most common uses and barriers of CIC’s are as follows:USES1. Internet access (email, browsing etc.)2. Commodity prices, agricultural information, health information3. Academic information (exam results, admission status)4. Recreation (gaming, music etc.)BARRIERS5. Slow internet6. Shortage of human helpers7. Absence of access to useful local content8. Power outages9. User fees (charges for using internet to subsidize costs)

+Identifying the information

needs of the citizens of Bangladesh

Due to Bangladesh being one of the least ’developed’ nations in the world, coupled with the fact that 76% of its citizens live rurally, the information needs of this group of individuals are quite unique. This is further magnified by the alarming statistics presented earlier in relation to the use of technology by the collective in this country. According to Islam & Tsuji (2011, p. 515-516)), a sample of the information needs of these people is provided below. These information needs closely mirror the main uses of CIC’s globally.

Weather information (due to unstable climates) Agricultural information such as crop planning (farming is one

main income generators) Exam results (convenience for students and flawed mail

systems) Commodity prices (so farmers know how much they should be

selling their goods for)

+Barriers to the success of CIC’s

in Bangladesh

Each country experiences different barriers when it comes to the success of these programs. According to Islam & Tsuji (2011, p. 518-519) some of the most common problems experienced by those living in Bangladesh include:

Poor literacy (people are unable to effectively use the technologies in CIC’s because they have low literacy skills)

Language barriers (much of what is on the Net is in English, and little content is generated in their national language of Benglai)

Lack of ICT skills (many people using these centers have never seen a computer and the manpower does not exist to educate these users)

Absence of national policy/government initiatives (while the government’s vision does include a digital Bangladesh, there is little government policy which supports these efforts which results in lack of funding)

Insufficient bandwidth

+ Community internet access points in rural Bangladesh: bridging the digital

divide Not surprisingly, those living in urban centers in Bangladesh have greater access to information technologies. However, there are some really cool and innovative programs happening in rural Bangladesh. Below are some of our favorites as outlined by Islam & Tsuji (2011, p. 512-513). Development Research Network (D. Net). This organization

established four CIC’s in rural communities. Each has an average of three computers, two mobile phones, digital cameras, soil test kits, a scale, and a nebulizer for local doctors to utilize. www.dnet.org.bd

Bangladesh NGO’s Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). A national organization which promotes a democratic society buttressed by a belief in the free flow of information, and equitable and affordable access to ICT’s. www.bnnrc.net

+Contd.

Tathyo Tori (Information Boat). Through an ingenious attempt to better serve the “river based people,” information boats were constructed to serve these marginalized populations. Many of these boats are equppied with computers, internet, photopciers, printers, DVD players and scanners.

+Contd.

Grameenphone community information centers. This is the “largest telecom operator in Bangladesh.” The goal of this organization is to provide quick and easy access to information. They operate approximately 516 CIC’s in Bangladesh!

Rural Technology Center (RTC). Works towards “rural appropriate technology transfer.” Provides technology services specifically geared towards farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs.

+Recommendations: moving

forward

Islam & Tsuji (2011, p. 519-520) offer some recommendations for future practice in regards to bridging the digital divide in Bangladesh. Unfortunately we find they are too idealized and utopian in nature and lack any concrete or tangible solutions. Nevertheless, we thought we’d share some of them with you: Promoting awareness. Islam and Tsuji believe that there needs to be an

increased community awareness about the role of CIC’s in Bangladesh. Our response: what does this look like?

Use of modern network technology. We want to know where the funding comes from.

Standardization of Bengali language. Islam and Tsuji note that CIC managers should create software conducive to supporting the use of the Bengali language on the net. Furthermore, there is a need for keyboards to be created which support the characters/symbols used in this country.

Government Patronization. Of course, it is critical that more government intervention occurs in regards to supporting the efforts to increase digital literacy. Our question is how do governments in these countries allocate monetary resources when people’s “basic” needs aren’t met?

+Questions to consider

How important is it for children in our classrooms to have an understanding of the global digital divide by being provided with staggering statistics such as the digital literacy rates/technology consumption in Bangladesh?

How could building a networked classroom help our students learn about cultural differences while simultaneously benefiting children in developing countries (especially those who speak English)?

In what ways can educators in Canada build relationships with educators in developing countries in order to act as a support system?

How can Western educators support the technological pursuits of educators/organizations in developing countries without imposing our value/education systems on them?

+References

Islam, A. Md., & Tsuji, K. (2011). Bridging Digital Divide in Bangladesh: Study on Community Information Centers. Electronic Library, 29(4), 506-522. doi: 10.1108/02640471111156768

ImagesGreenwich2000. (2012). Map of Bangladesh. Retrieved from: http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia / bangladesh/map-bangladesh/index.htmThe Financial Express. (n.d.). The Second Tathya Tori. Retrieved from: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com / 2009/06/11/69390.html