Bangladesh is the second in the world to use renewable solar power
To meet the demand for electricity, 8% of the total population of the country now uses renewable solar power in their homes. As a result, Bangladesh ranks second in the world in the use of solar power jointly with Mongolia. And Nepal is the first in the list of 11 percent of the total population using solar power or solar home system in their homes.This information has been published in the Global Status Report-GSR report on global renewable energy published by REN21 on Tuesday.According to the report, 1,500 irrigation pumps in Bangladesh are providing irrigation through solar power.However, Bangladesh is not in the list of countries that use or produce renewable energy in the world.Japan is on the list of Asian countries using per capita renewable energy out of a total of 47 countries. However, China and India are on the list of top wind and solar power generation. Iceland is the first country in the world to use renewable energy per capita.
Bangladeshis are getting international debit card facility
For the first time in the country, Bangladesh Bank has allowed banks to introduce international debit cards. This permission will allow the bank to issue an international debit card against an account. Like credit cards, customers will not be able to spend more than 12,000 per annum abroad in the annual travel quota.The central bank's foreign exchange policy department has sent a circular on June 16 to the chief executives of all banks.The letter, signed by the general manager of the department, gave three instructions to issue international credit cards.It said that from now on, banks will be able to issue international credit cards against the customer's local currency bank account opened under the travel quota. Before spending abroad, you have to get dollar endorsement from the bank in the customer's passport. In order to adjust the money spent abroad, the customer must have enough money as the account with which the international debit card will be attached.It has been reported that with this international debit card, you can go abroad and do all the approved things like credit card, shopping, travel, hotel bill payment. That is why you have to endorse the dollar worth of annual travel quota before going abroad. However, a person cannot spend more than 12 thousand dollars a year. Only if you have money in your account can the customer spend the entire 12,000 of the travel quotas. Earlier, the limit was 5,000 for SAARC countries and Myanmar. In addition, the limit for other countries was 7 thousand dollars. Debit card costs cannot be more than this.
Half of the voters got smart cards
At present there are 10 crore 98 lakh 19 thousand 112 voters in the country. Of these, 5 crore 7 lakh 90 thousand people have been provided with Chip Enriched National Identity Card (NID) or smart card.Mohammad Shafiq, a communication consultant in the NID section of the Election Commission, said NID was also working online in the lockdown. So far 6 crore 1 lakh smart cards have been delivered to the Upazila level. A total of 5 crore 7 lakh 90 thousand cards have been distributed. It has been reported that at present a total of 1 crore 2 lakh blank cards are being inserted. The Election Commission has taken these 73 million cards from French companies. The EC has to go to the Machine Tools Factory (BMTF) to produce and distribute the remaining 3 crore 95 lakh 19 thousand 111 cards.
Prime Bank launches unsecured loan facility in ICT sector
Prime Bank will provide unsecured loans up to Tk 50 lakh in the ICT sector. In the current financial market of Bangladesh, loans will be given to this sector considering the ICT MSME sector. Two months grace period will be given on the loan payable.The service was inaugurated on Tuesday, the silver jubilee of the establishment in the belief of providing exceptional service. State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the service, referring to it as a "friend in difficult times".Raheel Ahmed, Managing Director, Prime Bank, Syed Almas Kabir, President, BASIS, Syed M Omar Tayyab, Head, MSME Banking, Prime Bank, and Nazmul Karim Chowdhury, Head, Brand & Communications, Shoaib Ahmed Masud Prom, Vice President (Administration) were present on the occasion.State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said, "We are making maximum use of technology." I am using technology in testing, tracing."We have huge potential in the software sector in the next six months," he said. For this, we have to work with innovative ideas.Calling on Prime Bank to follow other banks, the state minister said the BASIS and ICT divisions are jointly working on five issues - ideas, models, finance, technology and collaboration. This initiative of Prime Bank has shown the friendship of hard times for the ice sector.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Prime Bank Limited and Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) to provide all banking services including financing to ICT entrepreneurs. The agreement provides ICT companies with working capital (CC, OD, and demand loans), term loans for fixed asset purchase and capital expenditure, financing of international trade solutions (LC, LATR, IDBP), bank guarantees, work orders, etc. Get Internet Banking - Altitude - service for deposit facility and e-transaction. The loan will require two years of business experience and a letter of recommendation from BASIS. Prime Bank has appointed a Relationship Manager so that BASIS members can avail of all banking services including loan applications at home or at home.
The Virtual High Court bench has directed to launch 'ICU Hotline'
A virtual high court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim has directed to set up a separate hotline called 'ICU Hotline' so that the victims can easily communicate in the ICU management and monitoring cell.The virtual court, which operates online on My Court on Monday, has set up ICU requisitions and 'central bed bureaus' of private hospitals, introduced separate medical facilities for COVID and general patients in 50-bed public-private hospitals and announced a two-week lockdown in the capital Dhaka. After hearing three writ petitions, the court passed the order with some instructions and opinions.At the same time, the court also suggested that the ICU hotline numbers be disseminated in different media, especially on television, on a daily basis.Lawyer Manzil Morshed, lawyer Yadia Zaman, lawyer Jamiul Haque Faisal, and Mehedi Hasan appeared for the writ petitions.Additional Attorney General Murad Reza, Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder and Assistant Attorney General Abanti Nurul was present at the hearing on behalf of the state.During the coronation period, the court gave 10-point instructions on fixing the price of oxygen cylinders, monitoring private hospitals and treating patients in hospitals.The 10-point directive states that those concerned, including the health secretary, have to submit to the court on June 30 whether the directives issued by the health ministry is being followed properly. The High Court also said that reluctance to treat critically ill patients in public and private hospitals and the death of a patient in it should be considered as 'negligent death' i.e. a criminal offense. Instructions have also been given to bring those responsible for this under the law.
ICT-IBA forming a virtual university
The ACMP 4.0 Summer Training Program has been launched to improve the skills of managers to meet the challenges of the future. Under the new normal conditions, 228 mid-management professionals are undergoing training in this three-month program in 4 batches with various modules of business expansion by reducing staff turnover.The 14th-17th batch training program under the ICT department's LICT project will have online classes 3-4 days a week. 60 classes will be held in 12 sessions. There will be tests every day. And to get the certificate, you must be present in at least 70 percent of the class and pass the exam.State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the training program through virtual on Tuesday morning.Meanwhile, the state minister said a virtual university of multimedia and innovation would be launched soon to expand commercial activities by building skilled human resources in the changed circumstances. IBA's certificate course will be introduced there.Speaking as the chief guest, he said that Kovid-19 is changing the commercial activities by accelerating the fourth industrial revolution. So no matter what profession or position I live in, everyone needs to know about cutting edge technology. We are able to adapt very quickly to new types of global change. Ability to use AI, robotics, big data, etc. technology in every field at the individual, institutional and state level in technology services.Palak said, "Our business, trade, education, office are not lagging behind in the last 100 days by being intellectually connected even from a social distance."He added that in the pendulum situation, the internet usage of internet users has increased by 50 percent. Commercial usage has increased by 50 percent and more than 50 lakh mobile bank accounts have been opened. LICT Project Advisor Sami Ahmed and IBA Director Syed Farhat Anwar presided over the function. LICT Project Director Rezaul Karim, Bangladesh Computer Council Executive Director Perth Pratim Dev, BACO President Wahid Sharif, BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir spoke on the occasion.
ICT State Minister mourns the death of Mohammad Nasim
Apart from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the President, former Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Nasim, current Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar, Science and Communication Technology Minister Yafen Osman and State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak have also expressed their condolences.In a separate condolence message sent to the media on Saturday, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased."In his death, the nation lost a patriotic politician, the Bangladesh parliament lost an experienced parliamentarian, and we lost a leading fighter in all progressive political movements," he said.Mohammad Nasim (72) breathed his last on Saturday (June 13) at around 11 am while undergoing treatment at Shyamoli Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital (Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilahi Raziun).Incidentally, Mohammad Nasim, son of M Mansur Ali, one of the four national leaders killed in jail on November 3, 1975, is representing the people of Sirajganj in Parliament for the fifth time. After the formation of the Awami League government in 1996, Mohammad Nasim took charge of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. In March next year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also gave him the charge of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.Nasim served as a minister in two ministries simultaneously until March 10, 1999. He was later given the post of Home Minister in a cabinet reshuffle. Although the Awami League returned to power after winning the 2008 elections, Nasim did not get a place in the service cabinet. However, Sheikh Hasina made him the health minister in the next term in 2014.
The ideal ‘zoning’ method is being created in a scientific way
Even three months after the lockdown, the number of coronary heart attacks and deaths continues to rise. State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said the zoning system has been introduced to keep the lives of the citizens safe by keeping both the life and livelihood running and the wheel of the economy moving in such a situation.He said a ‘zoning system’ has been introduced in the country after the lockdown by analyzing data collected from various sources comprising of meritorious students and teachers in the country and abroad. Data Analytics Task Force has been formed. Considering the population density of the city, area-based lockdown is being carried out considering the number of patients identified for 14 days. Although 60 people per lakh are affected, it is being declared as a high-risk red zone. And if it is below 59, it is considered a yellow zone. Geo-fencing and zoning are being updated daily from geo-mapping.However, data scientists, statisticians and health experts are also working to find an ideal scientific method for Bangladesh considering the population density and the number of infected people within certain boundaries, Palak said. In this case, the issues of the market, hospital, bus stand, etc. of any area are also being taken into consideration.Palak said that the government is being given advance information about the areas affected by the phone calls coming to the hotlines and analyzing the identifiers. However, by downloading the Corona Tracer BD app on the phone and turning on Bluetooth, the People can also get this information.An area-wise draft has been prepared through hair-splitting analysis since June 8 and the draft will be finalized this week, the state minister said.Junaid Ahmed Palak said that 60 percent of people wore masks in April after Corona, but the number dropped to 30 percent in May. So we need to raise awareness more. If everyone uses the Corona Tracer BD app and keeps its Bluetooth open, mobile phone users can be alert in advance. He said another task force comprising representatives of the Department of Health, IDECR, Data Analytics Team of ICT Department, A2I, City Corporation, Police, and Public administration is working to save lives and livelihoods in the situation.
Costs are rising in e-commerce, mobile and internet
This time the cost of online food, online shopping, car registration, foreign TV, and mobile and internet will increase. Shopping on e-commerce using the internet and ordering food online will increase the cost of the e-commerce business.This expenditure will increase at the consumer level as additional taxes are imposed on these products and services in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. However, VAT exemption on automobiles, refrigerators, and ACs and an increase in existing concessions on imports of refrigerators and ACs may reduce their value.This information came from the budget analysis proposed by Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal on Thursday. This is the second time he has proposed a budget under the slogan 'Economic Transition and Future Path'.Several government ministers, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, were present in the parliament room during the presentation of the budget. However, physically ill opposition leader Raushan Ershad did not attend the session. However, Jatiya Party Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Golam Mohammad Quader joined as scheduled.
Training on the “Big Data” of the Idea Project
A day-long online training on "BigData" was organized by the Bangladesh Computer Council of the Information and Communication Technology Department under the "Innovation and Entrepreneur Development Academy Establishment Project (iDEA)".State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak, MP, inaugurated the event on Thursday (June 11) morning through video conferencing as part of the iDEA project "Education for Nation". Senior Secretary of ICT Department NM Ziaul Alam PAA and Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Parthapratim Dev were the special guests on the occasion. The online event was presided over by Syed Mojibul Haque, Director (Additional Secretary) of iDEA Project.As the chief guest, Junaid Ahmed Palak, MP, State Minister for ICT, said Bangladesh is the 8th most populous and largest country in the world where about 170 million people are constantly generating data. Data is being considered as the most valuable resource in the world at the moment. The more information a country or nation has and is able to process and analyze it properly, the more wealthy that country or nation is said to be. There are now more than 100 million mobile phone and internet users in the country and more than 160 million SIM cards are being used where there are millions of computer users including around 40 million smartphone users. Especially in this Corona situation, through the use of online technology, the government is trying to provide education to about 4 crore students and provide primary health care to 160 million people from March 2020 till now, i.e. in the last 3 months.He further said that through data analysis, it is possible to initially estimate the number of affected areas in Corona situation or the number of symptoms is high, and the number may increase later in the area. That is, there is a strong ability to analyze data. The Hon'ble Minister of State said that now the prevailing posts like CEO, CFO, or CTO as well as Chief Data Officer will be required in all public and private offices. This is because public-private offices are now emphasizing data analysis for decision making. Our main goal now is to enable the country's researchers, inventors, and entrepreneurs to use the country's data to provide new services. He also highlighted the need to use Frontier technology.As a special guest, NM Ziaul Alam PAA, Senior Secretary, ICT Department said that data-based policies are more sustainable and effective. So whenever we talk about creating evidence-based policy, we need to increase data resources. The more we improve in data management, the better our policies will be. We have started practicing it which we have to continue. However, if we can increase the work in this regard in Bangladesh, we will be able to be richer in data resources. Parthapratim Dev, Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), who was the special guest on the occasion, said that one of the resources in the present age is information or data. This information or data is very important all over the world now. All in all, it has a significant role to play in the world economy.ID Project Director (Additional Secretary) Syed Mojibul Haque in his welcome address said that the era ahead is the era of Frontier Technology. So the iDEA project is organizing such events to encourage young people about Frontier Technology. He said that various programs will continue in the future as well.This training focuses on Making sense of Bigdata, Bigdata & Smart Analytics, and how we can harness opportunities in Bigdata. Data Science student at the University of Queensland in Australia and Deputy Commissioner (Tax) of the National Board of Revenue joined the training as a resource person. Dr. Abdul Bari Tushar, Lecturer in Big Data Analytics at Griffith University School of ICT. Saiful Islam and Habibullah N Karim, Founder , and CEO of Technohaven Company Limited. More than 60 trainees from Chittagong Division took part in the training through the online platform Zoom and will be awarded certificates later. Besides, the whole event was broadcast live on the official Facebook page of "Start-up Bangladesh" so that many interested people get a special idea about "Big Data". iDEA Project Deputy Project Director (Deputy Secretary) Kazi Hosne Ara, Project Senior Consultant RHM Alaol Kabir, Project Consultant Dewan Adnan, Sohag Chandra Das including Chittagong University, Comilla University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Noakhali Science and Technology University, Rangamati University of Science and Technology, Premier University, Independent University Chittagong, including students of various educational institutions of Chittagong Division, teachers, BCC and other officials of ICT Department were present online.
E-Cab's 60 member organizations are providing daily necessities in the lockdown area
Following the same health safety rules, the member organizations of the E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh are delivering essential daily necessities to the people in the lockdown area under the overall supervision of ATUI.The program started from Rajabazar in Ward 27 of the capital Dhaka on Wednesday. After checking the security personnel in the lockdown area from 11 pm, several online companies appeared there with their products.This activity is being conducted in collaboration with Ekshop and Dhaka South City Corporation. Member organizations have started offering this service by collecting certificates and security stickers from e-Cab.Commenting on the initiative, Abdul Waheed Tamal, General Secretary, E-Cab, said that the members of the E-Commerce Association are delivering daily essential goods through e-commerce in the lockdown areas in compliance with hygiene rules. Under the overall supervision of A2I and with the permission of the Ministry of Commerce, we have provided permission letters, stickers and operation guidelines to the members from e-Cab. I would like to thank the ICT Department, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Department of Local Government, and the law enforcement agencies for their support to the e-commerce sector.Chaldal, Ekshop, Sabzibazar and Setara Farm have been seen delivering products since Wednesday morning. More than 5 vans and 6 covered vans of these companies have supplied goods to Rajabazar all day long. E-Cab's 60 member companies have initially been allowed to provide services in the lockdown area.With the help of the police, city corporation staff and volunteers in charge of security, they maintain distance and properly sanitize transports to reach home-ordered day markets online. Zia Ashraf, CEO of service provider Chaldal.com, said, "We are starting a pilot project in Rajabazar with 3 vehicles." There are more teams ready for other areas. In addition to the orders we receive online from our website, app or call center, we will also have some daily necessities in our car; With which we will be able to serve the people of that area immediately.
Anik from Bangladesh got a call from Google
Anik Sarkar from Bangladesh has received an offer letter from the company to join tech giant Google. Google has offered Anik to work as a software engineer at Google's Europe headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.Anik Sarkar said in his Facebook ID that he has recently received such an offer letter from Google. Anik said he will join Google Cloud Storage as a software reliability engineer.Earlier, Anik Sarkar passed secondary and higher secondary from Chittagong Collegiate School and Chittagong College respectively.“Biology was much more feared after entering the Bangla medium. But I used to work very well in mathematics. Ever since then the dream of becoming an engineer.” This time Anik's dream has come true.Anik Sarkar, who took the first place in the admission test of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for the academic year 2014-15, has been called as a software engineer at Google's European head office in Dublin. He is joining Google's cloud storage team.Ever since he entered Madhyamik from Chittagong Collegiate School, his dream has been to enter the colorful courtyard of BUET. Running towards that goal. After being admitted to Chittagong College, he used to read various reference books from the college library regularly. The goal is to immerse yourself as much as possible. After the high school examination, it did not stop until the admission test. That Anik took the first place in the BUET admission test of the 2014-15 academic year. After graduation, he is currently enrolled in post-graduation at BUET. Besides, he is working as a research assistant in BUET. He has dreamed of becoming an engineer since he was a child, and his latest achievement is being employed by Google, the dream workplace of software engineers.
