A task force set up by the Ministry of Planning will recommend the establishment of an independent center to deliver government services through social media and leverage artificial intelligence (AI).
Such proposals have been made against the backdrop of the growing influence of both social media and artificial intelligence in Bangladesh as well as in other parts of the world.
A 12-member task force headed by KAS Murshid, former director of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, has completed the draft report.
The nearly 600-page report will be submitted to Planning and Education Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud in the coming days, ministry officials said.
The ministry established a task force last September to develop strategies to revitalize the economy and mobilize resources for fair and sustainable development.
The draft report provides strategic recommendations to address pressing challenges and promote equitable and sustainable development in Bangladesh under the caretaker government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus.
It emphasizes short-term practical interventions and long-term reforms across sectors that address economic growth, governance, public service delivery and environmental sustainability.
According to the draft report, the center will be called the Center for Social Behavior Change Communication Research (CSBCC&R).
He added that the establishment of an independent center is essential to address the fragmented nature of current efforts in this important area.
Currently, different departments are working on communication efforts without a coherent strategy, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
CSBCC&R centralizes these efforts and provides a structured platform for both traditional media and digital communications strategies.
CSBCC&R is a unified approach to driving social change, attitudes, norms, and practices by blending traditional methods such as community workshops and meetings with modern digital campaigns leveraging social media and online platforms. Create an impactful communication strategy with.
Regarding the use of AI, the draft report calls for strategic focus within key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture and public sector institutions to accelerate the uptake of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. states.
For example, the adoption of satellite sensing technology can enable effective crop early warning systems to improve agricultural practices, while distance learning allows learning to continue uninterrupted regardless of geographic barriers. It will be.
“Integrating these advanced technologies can improve quality, efficiency, and access across multiple sectors, ultimately improving outcomes for the population as a whole,” the report states.
Additionally, the report states that effective use of digital and AI technologies will help bridge the existing digital divide.
This includes reducing data costs, increasing access to affordable smartphones with appropriate safeguards for age-specific content, and fostering the growth of a robust domestic software and hardware ICT industry. Masu.
“Promoting widespread digital access can empower citizens, increase digital literacy and foster innovation in the ICT sector,” the report said.
The task force also recommended the introduction of automatic traffic light systems to streamline urban transportation systems.
Such systems are a basic requirement for major cities around the world. However, attempts to introduce the system in Dhaka have faced challenges and often collapsed due to resistance from vested interests, the report said.
This effort should be considered a “low-hanging fruit” because it is doable and has the potential to yield immediate benefits.
He further said that the current model of public transport in Dhaka, which is characterized by multiple ownership of bus services, causes significant confusion and confusion on roads, directly impacting public safety and convenience.
A move to single-owner bus service franchises, which would consolidate all disparate owners into one provider, has been recommended as a solution to the disruption of urban bus transportation.
This should be marked by a move towards putting drivers on a fixed salary rather than on a commission basis.
Key areas of focus in the report include pilot projects demonstrating the potential for reform, initiatives in infrastructure, education, health and governance, leveraging digital technologies and fostering youth engagement.
It criticizes past governance and economic mismanagement while proposing people-centered development strategies.
The draft report calls for reforming public hospitals in Dhaka using real-time monitoring and user feedback, reforming rural schools and clinics to address rural challenges, and as a symbolic and urgent environmental project. Proposals include revitalization of the Buriganga River.
Furthermore, as part of institutional reform, he also mentioned the creation of new institutions such as the Regulatory Reform Commission and the Center for Global Excellence in STEM Education.
It also recommended a strategic review of Bangladesh Biman, including the possibility of renaming it to “Bangladesh Airlines” or restructuring or replacing it.
