Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division will digitize 71 government and two private libraries across the country, said  ICT State minister Junayed Ahmed Palak. A virtual review meeting was held between the ICT Division and Ministry of Cultural affairs to discuss the details of implementing this initiative on Sunday night. Also read: Bangladesh to launch ‘Jogajog’ as alternative to Facebook, says Palak He said the ICT division plans to turn the traditional libraries into E-libraries to meet the demands of the new generation by expanding quality online services. For each library a separate digital library management system will be used for managing the eBooks and each of them will have a children and a Mujib corner, said Palak. All the libraries are being designed in a way so that using any type of mobile set anyone can enter the e-libraries and read their desired books, he added. For digitalization ICT division will connect the libraries with wireless LAN network, IP phone and RFID technology will be incorporated in divisional libraries. Also read: 170,000 schools to be connected with high speed internet by 2030: Palak State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Executive director  of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Parthapratim Deb, Director General of the Department of Public Libraries Abu Bakkar Siddique,  Director (Training) of BCC Md Enamul Kabir and others were present at the meeting Chaired by the  ICT State Minister.

The government has taken initiative  to introduce telemedicine service at 16,000 community hospitals across the country and bring 2000 hospitals under digital service, said sate minister for ICT Junayed Ahmed Palak. The junior minister came up with the information while talking at a virtual seminar on ‘Digitalisation of health sector amid Covid pandemic’. READ: 35,000 modern digital labs to be installed to give more access to girls: Palak “The health sector of the country will be digitised fully and every hospital of the country will be operated centrally using technology. The medicine and diagnosis records will be brought under an interoperable system through centralised health management software,” he said. Besides, initiatives will be taken to save the health records  of each citizen of the country in all government and private hospitals, he said adding that a project titled ‘Digital Health For Nation’ involving Tk 1600 crore will be taken to this end . Under a pilot project, 30 health services will be digitalized at Sylhet Osmani Medical College and later the project will be implemented in all district and upazila hospitals, said Palak. He also mentioned that over 60 lakh people have  received telemedicine services in the last 16 months through health service hotline 333 while 98 lakh people have completed their registration to take Covid-19 vaccine through ‘Surokkha’ app. READ: 170,000 schools to be connected with high speed internet by 2030: Palak Dr. ABM Muksudul Alam, Principal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin, vice-chancellor (VC) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Prof. Dr Ismail Khan, Vice Chancellor of Chittagong Medical University, Brig. General Brayan Bankim Haldar, Director of Osmani Medical College and Hospital, Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) joined the seminar.