Bangladesh Roundtable Consultation on WSIS

["Irfan Khan" <khania2@super.net.pk>]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	"Michael Gurstein" <mgurst@vcn.bc.ca>
To:             	"Dotforce-Wsis" <dotforce-
wsis@vancouvercommunity.net>
Date sent:      	Wed, 1 Jan 2003 08:49:46 -0500



It seems that the WSIS may be having some beneficial impacts after
all... Note these substantively positive statements from Bangla Desh
(also note what appears to be a heartening integration of Civil
Society into the broad development of the Bangla Deshi position in
relation to the Summit...

Could there be some lessons for other including "Developed" 
countries.

MG

-----Original Message-----
From: Crisinfo-admin@comunica.org
[mailto:Crisinfo-admin@comunica.org]On Behalf Of bcnnrc Sent: 
December
29, 2002 11:31 AM To: crisinfo@comunica.org Subject: [CRIS Info]
Bangladesh Roundtable Consultation on WSIS Importance: High


CRIS Info is a public list for information and questions about the
campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS)
http://crisinfo.org CRIS also has a Latin American regional list at:
http://comunica.org/mailman/listinfo/crisal_comunica.org <
________________________________________



Outcome: Bangladesh Roundtable Consultation on World Summit on the
Information Society


Bangladesh Working Group on WSIS has been conducted a consultation
meeting on 28 December 2002 as a process of WSIS. The meeting in
the beginning addressed the aims and objectives of WSIS, which will
be held on December 2003. In the Summit Bangladesh will play the
role to join in the global process of information to upholding
country framework on information and communication technology.

The UN General Assembly, on 21 December 2001, adopted a Resolution
(A/RES/56/183) endorsing the organization of the World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS), to be convened under the patronage
of the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, with the
International Telecommunication Union taking the lead role in its
preparation along with interested UN organizations and the host
countries. The governing body of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Council, at its 2001 session,
endorsed the holding of the World Summit on the Information
Society, to be held in two phases: in Geneva from 10-12 December
2003 and in Tunis in 2005.

The World Summit on the Information Society will provide a unique
opportunity for all key stakeholders to assemble at a high-level
gathering and to develop a better understanding of this revolution
and its impact on the international community. It aims to bring
together Heads of State, Executive Heads of United Nations
agencies, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, media
representatives and civil society in a single high-level event. The
roles of the various partners (Member States, UN specialized
agencies, private sector and civil society) in ensuring smooth
coordination of the practical establishment of the information
society around the globe will also be at the heart of the Summit
and its preparation.

The consultation meeting organized by Bangladesh Working Group on
WSIS in collaboration with Bangladesh Friendship Education Society
(BFES) & Bangladesh Coastal NGOs Network for Radio and
Communications (BCNNRC) was attended by the Honorable Minister for
Information and Communication Technology Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan,
Chairperson of Bangladesh Working Group on WSIS and Chairman
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Syed
Marghub Morshed, Co-Chairperson of working group and Secretary for
Science and ICT Karar Mahmudul Hasan, Co-Chairperson of WSIS and a
noted scholar Dr. Mizanur Rahman Shelley, Member Secretary of the
Group and Associate Director of Bangladesh Friendship Education
Society (BFES) Reza Salim and members of the WSIS Working Group
while participants from civil society groups, corporate sectors and
other government representative were present in the consultation
with providing their active opinion about the process of how
Bangladesh can actively and effectively participate in the summit.

In the discussion the role of Bangladesh has been identified and
addressed how government can address integrating people of all
walks of life by facilitating affordable access of information and
incorporating people with technology to the community people. It
has also emphasized the social responsibility of the corporate
sector as well as the development practices of how the employment
generation, information access, connectivity etc can be served with
a proper attention to the
people.

However, the issues discussed are as follows:
1. Bangladesh has properly emphasizes connectivity. It properly
gives attention to the growing digital divide in the world and
within the country as well. The digital divide has been growing
between men and women, between urban and rural, between rich and
poor, between literate and illiterate, between social and corporate
sector. To reduce the gaps the digital opportunity can properly be
utilized. And Bangladesh Government is giving proper emphasize to
introduce information and communication technology at all levels.

2. In regarding connectivity, the role of both print and electronic
media was emphasized. Both the media should play the role promoting
and ensuring social responsibility rather than making profit only.
The media can play important role disseminating information and
communication technology and its benefits to the community because
ICT can play vital role generating employment and building human
resources.

3. The process also highlights to build up a Knowledge Society by
facilitating access to information and giving proper training and
orientation to build up a skill human resource. It also gives
importance to local knowledge and resources mainly concentrating to
promote and preserve indigenous knowledge of the community.

4. Community media requires proper attention formulating policies
and implementation. Especially, community broadcasting e.g.
community radio and community tele-centre can be set up at rural
levels to ensure participation which will ensure access to
information and thus building a knowledge society. Simultaneously,
it facilitates accountable governance by participating people at
decision-making process, at planning and management level.

5. Telecommunications is also an important sector that needs to be
decentralized. The monopoly in the sector should be withdrawn and
ensure service and facilities properly both at urban and rural
levels. According to the ITU convention 10 per cent telephones
should be allocated to rural level that government would try to
ensure to reduce the gap exists.

6. The poor and marginalized groups, ethnic groups, disable and
illiterate groups of the society should be prioritized with proper
attention including people at all levels.

The Government of Bangladesh is also giving stressed to macro
policy issues and has relation to the global players concerning
information and communication technology. It has already formulated
ICT policy and started implementation. It also emphasizes building
skilled manpower to compete with global information technology
trend. Bangladesh is properly taken initiatives to reduce digital
gap and utilize the digital opportunity. Government also is
involved in bi-lateral process to ensuring people's participation
in information and communication technology and thus relates
society into information age.

AHM Bazlur Rahman
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh Coastal NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
House:9/4 Road:2
Shamoli Dhaka
Phone:8125181
Cell: 017 881647





_______________________________________________
Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS)
For more information see http://www.crisinfo.org/
act@crisinfo.org

Crisinfo mailing list
Send contributions to Crisinfo@comunica.org
CRIS Info archives are at:
http://comunica.org/mailman/listinfo/crisinfo_comunica.org
This list is provided courtesy of Comunica - http://comunica.org

------- End of forwarded message -------