Tomorrow's people in Smart Bangladesh Vision

Bangladesh has already formulated a framework plan for development from 2021 to 2041, bringing blessings to the people. On the other hand, the Hon'ble Prime Minister has taken up the Delta Plan so that the Bengal Delta is protected from climate impacts, the country make progress, and the people of the country can live 'beautifully, healthily and smartly' not only in 2041 but also in 2100. In consideration of this, 41 prospective plans have been started from 2021. Building a smart Bangladesh and a smart nation is the next main goal of the current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.

There is no alternative to using advanced technology to achieve the goal of building a Smart Bangladesh. The main objective of the prime minister was to build a smart Bangladesh, a smart nation, the success of which is visible now. The outline of Smart Bangladesh started with the hands of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The young generation is now dreaming of building a 'Smart Bangladesh.' The government wants to economically prosper Bangladesh by ensuring maximum use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, the internet, virtual reality, augmented reality, robotics, and big data. Digital Bangladesh is now a reality. After Padma Bridge, Metrorail, and Elevated Expressway, Bangladesh is on the way to fulfilling more new dreams.

After Digital Bangladesh, the plan of Smart Bangladesh is the most important and visionary decision of this century because the countries of the developed world have already transformed into smart countries, and even many developing countries have advanced a long way on the path of transformation into smart countries. To maintain the pace of development and progress, the country must become a developed nation. It is possible to realize the Smart Bangladesh Theory by correctly implementing Smart Citizens, Smart Economy, Smart Government, and Smart Society. In other words, the people of Bangladesh will manage all the activities of the economy using this technology. The current government has already done a lot of smart governance. As a result, our entire society will be smart. Smart Bangladesh naturally means a state-building process based on clean, transparent technology and without civil harassment, where every citizen will get a golden opportunity to guarantee their rights and fulfill their duties without suffering. As a Bangalee nation, we are proud to enter the nuclear age.

After implementing Digital Bangladesh Vision-2021, steps have been taken for the new mission, 'Smart Bangladesh.' Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered the start of the journey to implement this Smart Bangladesh Vision by 2041. The three essential aspects of the Smart Bangladesh vision are a knowledge-based e-economy, an innovative nation, and building an inclusive digital society. It is proposed to implement it carefully. Smart Bangladesh does not mean all-out use of modern technology. Regardless of a person's gender identity, their appearance, clothes, behavior, speech, modernity, fashion, smartness, or showcasing themselves wisely on Facebook or YouTube alone cannot be considered fully smart. If their thinking, mindset, taste, outlook, creativity, etc., are not smart, then they cannot be called 'smart.' Future Smart Bangladesh will be cost-effective, sustainable, knowledge-based, intelligent, and innovative. All work will be brilliant, such as ensuring smart healthcare, smart transportation, smart utilities, smart urban administration, smart public safety, smart agriculture, smart internet connectivity, and smart disaster management to implement smart cities and smart villages.

One Student, One Laptop, One Dream initiative has been taken to ensure the participation of students online. To build a smart Bangladesh, we must build smart people, smart families, and smart societies. If it is not possible to fulfill what is required for this, then it will not be possible to build a smart Bangladesh in the proper process. For this, everyone must change their position and purify themselves. New thinking ideas should be discovered in society. The old, worn-out mindsets must be abandoned. Smart cities and smart villages are the goals of 2041. We have achieved significant development and prosperity in the economic field. As the average life expectancy of people has increased, so has the per capita income. The education rate has increased, the scope of healthcare has increased, and women's empowerment is also visible. Many people in the country are changing their fate with their talent and hard work. Girls from remote villages have never come out of the house and are making significant contributions to the garment industry. Some of them are also going abroad for work.

After getting higher education, some young people go to the village and start modern agriculture instead of looking for jobs. They are playing a unique role in the country's food and production. Some are becoming small and medium entrepreneurs by establishing new factories or building new service providers and are achieving surprising success. The government is working on a modernized power grid, green economy, skill development, recognition of the freelancing profession, and urban development to build Smart Bangladesh, an innovative and knowledge-based economy, by 2041. Building the national e-knowledge stream necessary for the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution; building infrastructure for conducting knowledge-based activities; creating international startup mentors and business coaches at the local level; establishing Alternative Schools for Startup Educators of Tours (ASSET) and Center for Learning Innovation and Creation of Knowledge (CLIF). On the other hand, building smart nations emphasizes capacity building, quality innovation, and regulation. Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED) and Content Engineering and Linkage Lab are new initiatives to create entrepreneurship (Cell) proposed to be set up.

On the other hand, in building an inclusive digital society, emphasis has been placed on ensuring the inclusion and capacity-building of people from all levels of society. The ICT department has already taken various initiatives to implement the Smart Bangladesh vision. One of these is establishing the Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution and Digital Leadership Academy under BCC's Enhancing Digital Government and Economy project and developing skilled human resources for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to pay the blood debt of the father of the nation through Smart Bangladesh. On his return to his homeland on January 10, 1972, Bangabandhu said, I will leave this country independent. Today, the country is independent. He said I will repay this blood debt even with blood. This country has become free with the blood of lakhs of martyrs, and I will not let the freedom of this country be lost even if a Bengali is alive. Bangladesh will live as an independent Bangladesh in the history of the world, and no one can control Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina vowed to build the golden Bangladesh of the father of the nation's dream - Smart Bangladesh.

That will be the payment of the blood debt of the father of the nation. No one can stop the progress of the country. The father of the nation left a war-torn Bangladesh as a less developed country. If Bangabandhu had lived, Bangladesh would have become a developed country long ago. The 'Smart Bangladesh' concept has been formulated to speed up the achievement of the 'Vision 2041'. Under the 'Smart Bangladesh' vision, sectors like agriculture, education, healthcare, trade, transport, environment, energy and resources, infrastructure trade, governance, financial transactions, supply chain, security, entrepreneurship, and community will be driven by technology, and every sector will be innovative, such as smart education, smart healthcare, smart agriculture, smart commerce, smart transportation, etc.

The technological development started by Bangabandhu was completed by the hands of his privileged daughter, leader Sheikh Hasina. He announced the construction of 'Digital Bangladesh' in the election manifesto of Bangladesh Awami League on December 12, 2008. Bangladesh today is the world's wonder in the spread of modern information technology. Digital Bangladesh has been developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the supervision of ICT advisor Sajib Wazed Joy. Digital Bangladesh has been implemented on the four pillars of connectivity: skilled human resource development, e-government, and the promotion of ICT industries. Bangabandhu returned people's right to vote and rice. He wanted to return power to the people by holding elections in 1973, just three years after assuming power.

He wanted to establish democracy. He wanted national unity and the development of people. He wanted a prosperous country free from poverty so that the people of this country could survive by eating two handfuls of rice and pulses. To build a smart Bangladesh with an innovative and knowledge-based economy by 2041, state-of-the-art power grid, green economy, skill development, recognition of freelancing professions, urbanization, and creation of regional industrial zones. The government's efforts are undoubtedly positive. Suppose the government behaves responsibly in improving the fortunes of the people. In that case, the economy will be strong, and as a result, the country will move forward. The government of Bangladesh has been able to highlight its capacity and willingness to implement its activities in front of the people by implementing mega projects. In that continuation, the current initiative taken by the government is, 'In 2041, Bangladesh will be a smart Bangladesh of innovative and knowledge-based economy'. In the world of technology, it is essential to create human resources who are science-minded, technology-friendly, used to using technology, and skilled in innovating new technologies—traditional way of thinking, way of life, mindset, superstitions, dogma-free human life philosophy. Many old thoughts, philosophies, reforms, and philosophies exist in the individual life, family, society, and state system.

No matter how modern it looks from the outside, inside, there are long cherished spirits and principles being carried. Smart City, Smart Village, and Smart Bangladesh should lead by connecting hardware, software, and humanware. Smart Bangladesh, competent government, smart population, smart industry and trade, health, education, trade, agriculture, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and biological technology, i.e., digital devices, will be ensured in all fields. Emphasis is placed on research at all levels. Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, dreamed of building a golden Bengal free from exploitation and deprivation. By building a smart country, we must build a happy and prosperous non-communal Bangladesh and realize its dream. And in this way, we have to take the responsibility of putting smiles on the faces of the ordinary people of this country.

Future Bangladesh will be a Smart Bangladesh based on the four fundamental pillars of Smart Citizens, Smart Economy, Smart Government, and Smart Society. The present government, which is moving ahead with indomitable progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is adopting and successfully implementing multi-dimensional plans and strategies in the victory of the fourth industrial revolution of immense potential along the path of modern innovation of information technology. Freedom, democracy, and development are inextricably linked. The development of a country means the economic, political, social, and cultural development of that country. Maintaining the continuity of democracy and stability is very important to maintain the ongoing development and progress of the country. Real achievements would not have been possible if democracy and stability had not continued. The trend of democracy is the result of a long struggle.

Writer: Cricketer and Member of Parliament