IT spurs rural uplift

Awed rural school children at the Grameen Digital Center (GDC) in Mirzapur having first hand knowledge about computer. PHOTO: STAR

It is the first attempt in the country to reach IT (information technology) service at grassroots level. The success has been overwhelming.

Initiated in 2001, the effort has created a great enthusiasm among children, youths, local government and non-government officials and NGOs.

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This correspondent during a recent visit saw children from different schools crowing GDC's Kids Training Centre at the upazila headquarters. It is a wonderful experience for them. Amid fun, they are having first hand knowledge about computer use and information technology, provided for free for two hours a day.

The Internet browsing facility, provided at 0.75 paisa per minute, helps local educated youths in searching jobs and maintaining contact outside while staying home.

The IT training facility has helped many youths get jobs, according to beneficiaries.

The training programme includes Computer Fundamentals and Office 2000, Database Development, Using Microsoft Access, Application Development, Using Visual Basic 6.0, Graphics and Designing, Hardware Maintenance and Troubleshooting, Networking and Internet Operations.

Over 150 youths including females after training at the centre are now employed in different areas of the country or have become self-dependent, sources said.

The Grameen Digital Center (GDC) is a non-profit and service oriented institution. Seeing the tremendous response from and benefit to grassroots level people, the authorities are now thinking to open three more such centres at Zamurki, Mohera and Fotepur in the upazila as soon as possible, its officials told this correspondent.

It is also appreciated by government and non-governmental organisations in the area as they get hardware supply at cheaper cost.

The GDC has provided internet services to 20 subscribers in Mirzapur, which include Kumudini Hospital and Bharateswari Homes, a reputed educational institution.

GDC's local Programme Officer Alamgir Hossen sadid, "We are providing 24-hour Internet service at a cost of Tk 00.75 only per minute. We are using Radio Micro Web Link in our network through VSAT from GC connectivity."

Assistant Programme Officer Shah Alam Talukder said a large number of people are getting benefit from our center. "Our main objective is to expand Internet network in villages. The training programme is the second part of the project".

The centre so far trained 147 people, he added.

One of the two rooms at the centre is used for training and browsing and the other for office. Six computers are used for training and browsing. The lone computer at the office room is used for composing, printing and for official purposes.

Abdul Halim, a resident of Dighulia Gohaibari village in Mirzapur, said he is now working at Aromatic Cosmetic Ltd in Dhaka after training at the centre.

Trained at the centre, Saiful Islam of Bazar area and Fatema Akter Chanu of Baimhati in Mirzapur are now working at an export firm and at Munshiganj Polli Biddut Samity respectively.

Meer Anwar Hossen Tutul, Ittefaq Correspondent in Mirzapur, said now he can send news and photo through Internet at the GDC quickly at a cheaper cost.

The response from people also moved high officials of GrameenPhone who visited the centre recently. They are also thinking to open a Tele-medicine centre in a rural area in Rajshahi so that people in villages can get services of reputed doctors.