Country Presentation Bangladesh

1
Country PresentationBangladesh

• Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
• Ministry of Science and Information
  Communication Technology
• Phone [phone], Fax [phone]
• E-mail most_at_bangla.net Web site
  http//www.mosict.gov.bd

Presented by Mesbah Uddin Ahmed Secretary, MOSICT
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Country Profile - Bangladesh

• 1. Geographical location 20 º 24/ - 26 º 38/ N
• 2. Population 131.1 Million
• 3. Population density about 880/ sq. Km.
• 4. Population Growth Rate 1.48
  
• 5. Male-Female Ratio 03.8
• 6. Crude Death Rate (per 1000 pop) 3.70
  
• 7. Expectancy of Life 68 Male
  69 Female
• 8. GDP Growth rate 5.2
• 9. Per capita GDP About USD 300

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Role of Science Technology In National
Development Plan

• Objectives of Fifth FYP for ST Sector
• Development of technology for different sectors
• Development of appropriate and indigenous
  technologies
• Institutional strengthening and HRD for ST
• Inter-sector and inter-agency coordination
• Dissemination of ST know how
• Strengthening science-based educational
  institution
• Involvement of the private sector in ST
• Building of centers of Excellence in different
  fields of ST

IMPROVE SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
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Major Aims of the National Science Technology
Policy

• To attain scientific and technological competence
  and self reliance to help increasing production
  and employment in various sectors of economy
• To be in consonance with the socio-economic,
  cultural, educational, agricultural and
  industrial policies of the nation
• To contribute to the world-wide pool of
  scientific and technological knowledge
• To seek out and recognize high talents in various
  areas of science and technology
• To strengthen cooperation in science and
  technology between developed and developing
  countries, and particularly among developing
  countries themselves
• To provide guidelines for institutional
  arrangements in the RD structure

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Strategic strategies of the ST Policy

• Organize and coordinate all RD works concerning
  ST in the country
• Careful selection of the problems facing the
  country in each vital sector, where solutions are
  likely to have a significant impact on the
  economic and socio-cultural development of the
  country.
• Promotion of research and strengthening the
  competence and capability of research
  institutions including the universities.
• Establishment of science and research
  institutions/laboratories/Centers of Excellence
  where research of high quality can be carried out
  in selected areas of national importance.
• Improvement of standard of scientific knowledge
  at all levels from the school of the university.
• Training of personnel and specialized scientific
  and technological staff in the research
  Institutions/Laboratories and industrial
  establishments.

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Strategic Strategies of the ST Policy

• Ensure suitable environment for scientific and
  technology research.
• Creation of scientific awareness among the broad
  masses of people through popularization of
  science and technology and encouraging
  improvement activities, especially among the
  younger generation.
• Establishment of national capability for
  development of indigenous technology and
  attainment of a national capacity for the
  assessment, selection, acquisition, adoption and
  adaptation of foreign technology.
• Creation of centralized facilities for collection
  and dissemination of scientific information and
  research findings.
• Ensure adequate fund for the STR sector for
  development of infrastructure for RD.
• Ensure bilateral, sub-regional, regional and
  international scientific and technical
  collaboration.

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Institutional Arrangements for the Promotion of
Science, Technology ICT in Bangladesh

• Ministry of Science and Information Communication
  Technology (MOSICT)
• National Council of Science and Technology (NCST)
• National ICT Task Force (NICTTF)
• Executive Committee of the NCST
• Executive Committee of the NICTTF
• National Committee on Biotechnology

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Linkage of ST with the Government and Advisory
Role

• National Council on Science Technology (NCST)
• Headed by the Honorable Prime Minister and
  includes Honorable Ministers and Secretaries of
  relevant Ministries, and the representatives of
  private sector
• Executive Committee of NCST, headed by Honorable
  Minister, MOSICT responsible for overseeing
  implementation of NCST decisions
• NCST provides vertical linkage between
• ST and the government

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Major Policy Statements of the National ICT Policy

• Training and HRD
• Development of ICT Infrastructure
• RD in ICT
• Promotion of Software and Hardware Industry
• Promotion of IT Enabled Services
• Establishment of E-commerce, E-government
• IPR, ICT Act, Security
• Application of ICT in Health Care, Public
  Administration, Agriculture, Poverty alleviation
  , Social Welfare, Transportation, Tourism,
  Environment and Judiciary.
• Reginald and International cooperation
• Implementation Monitoring

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Scientific Institutions under MOSICT

• Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)
• Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial
  Research (BCSCIR)
• Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC)
• Bangladesh National Scientific Technical
  Documentation Centre (BANSDOC)
• National Museum of Science Technology (NMST)

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT

• Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)
• Health Imaging, diagnosis and therapy using
  nuclear and other modern techniques (150,000
  patients attended annually)
• Disinfection of medical supplies and improving
  shelf life of agricultural products and fish.
• Tissue banking Radiation processed biomaterials
  supplied to hospitals
• Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Services and HRD
  for private and public sectors agencies
• Elemental analysis(detection up to parts per
  billion level) services to different agencies
• biological and environmental samples
• arsenic contamination

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT
(contd.)

• BAEC (continued)
• Production of radioisotopes for use in medicine
  using research reactor
• Isotope hydrology technique for underground
  reservoir study and studies on sedimentation of
  riverbed
• Electronics
• Design of nucleonic control systems
• Design of radiation measuring devices
• Repair Maintenance services
• Separation of economic heavy minerals from beach
  sand
• Exploration of radioactive minerals
• Development of environmental-friendly composite
  materials
• Implementation of law on nuclear safety and
  radiation control

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT
(contd.)

• Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial
  Research (BCSIR)
• Development of indigenous processes of industrial
  significance
• Important areas
• Agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture and dairy
  products improvement and quality control
• Addition of micronutrients and vitamins to
  improve agricultural products
• Development of new/ modified items of foodand
  beverages
• Development of indigenous construction materials
  and paints
• Low cost renewable energy technologies (solar,
  biomass and wind)
• Medicinal and aromatic plants and extraction of
  active ingredients and products

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT
(contd.)

• BCSIR (continued)
• Development of leather conditioning and
  processing materials and methodologies
• Development of biosource cosmetics, dyes,
  insecticides and medicinal agents
• Pilot Plant level studies on the techno-economic
  feasibility on the processes developed by the
  Council
• Chemical analysis
• Performance evaluation of filters for arsenic
  removal from water
• Providing advisory services to the entrepreneurs

• 525 processes developed
• 225 leased for commercialization by entrepreneurs

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT
(contd.)

• Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC)
• Mainstream activities
• Facilitate Internet access to a broad spectrum of
  users
• Benchmarking and standardization of curriculum
  and capacity of ICT training by various
  institutions (public and private)
• ICT incubator and Support to local software
  industry
• Support to policy issues, including IPR related
  to ICT
• ICT training at school and college levels in the
  country
• National ICT internship program
• Development of ICT enabled services
• Promoting e-governance, ecommerce
• Development of Human Resources

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under MOSICT
(contd.)

• National Museum of Science Technology (NMST)
• Mainstream activities
• Motivation of young generation through
  organization of science clubs country wide
• Organization of science fair for students
• Popularization of science through the Museum
• Bangladesh National Scientific and Technological
  Documentation Centre (BANSDOC)
• Support to ST institutions and personnel
• Survey of the ST Sector

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under
National Agriculture Research System (NARS)

• Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC)
  coordinates RD of NARS
• RD institutes under NARS
• Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
• Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI)
• Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)
• Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture
  (BINA)
• Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI)
• Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)
• Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI)
• Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI)
• Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI)
• Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI)

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Salient Programs of RD Institutions under
National Agriculture Research System
(NARS) (Continued)

• Mainstream activities of NARS
• Evolving high yielding, disease resistant and
  early maturing varieties of different crops
• About 40 of total rice production of the country
  is based on BRRI variety
• Wheat variety of BARI is being disseminated
• Optimization of inputs (Soil-Fertilizer-Irrigation
  )
• Evolving cropping pattern for different zones of
  the country
• Country wide soil mapping
• Bio-fertilizer
• Investigation of Arsenic intake into the food
  chain
• Investigation of pesticide residues in the food
  chain
• Improved varieties of fruits and vegetables

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Relevance of ST Programs of Bangladesh to
Millennium Development Goals

• ST programs relevant to Goal 7 Environmental
  Sustainability
• Water is a resource vital to Bangladesh economy
  and human life
• Access to Clean Drinking Water
• Surface water
• Bangladesh is a delta formed by 3 main rivers and
  their numerous tributaries, so all human
  activities are directly or indirectly. Mainstream
  activities address problems like
• Flood, bank erosion, inundation by flood, human
  displacement, loss of crops are issues of concern
• Shared trans-boundary rivers lead to a set of
  problems needing bilateral and multi-lateral
  interventions
• Degradation of quality of surface by pollution
• Salinity encroachment
• Accurate flood forecasting
• Modeling of the river system
• Integration of flood protection and irrigation
• INSTITUTIONS (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS
  PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS)

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Relevance of ST Programs of Bangladesh to
Millennium Development Goals

• Access to Clean Drinking Water
• Mainstream R D activities Ground Water
• Arsenic determination in water and biological
  (hair, nail, crops, etc.)samples
• Reservoir studies
• Filters and arsenic immobilization
• RD activities in Energy
• Energy conservation (Compact fluorescent lamps)
• Improved technologies for biomass conservation
  (improved stoves, efficient kerosene lamps,
  biogas plants, solar drying)
• Introduction of renewable energy technologies
  (solar Photovoltaic, solar collector, solar
  cooker, wind, etc.)
• Improving forest coverage on a sustainable basis
  to supplement loss to use of tree biomass for
  energy and timber
• Investigation of industrial pollutions

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Relevance of ST Programs of Bangladesh to
Millennium Development Goals

• ST programs relevant to MD Goal 7 Environmental
  Sustainability
• Biotechnology
• Efforts are focused on
• Application of biotechnology for solving problems
  in in different sectors like health, agriculture
  and environment)
• Acquisition of technology

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Major Initiatives in the ICT Sector
Innovative Development Initiatives of Bangladesh

• Recognition of Bangladesh efforts in ICT
• Remarks of Mr. Collin L. Powell, Secretary of
  State, the Government of USA at the World
  Economic Forum, Dead Sea Jordan, June 22, 2003
• He cited Bangladesh as a prime example to
  illustrate the ways in which ICTs can
  significantly enhance national development.
• He went on to say Information technology, the
  power of Internet. Let me give an example of what
  it can do. My example does not come from Silicon
  Valley or some wireless, advanced economy of
  Europe. It comes from Bangladesh.......

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Major Initiatives in the ICT Sector
Innovative Development Initiatives of Bangladesh

• Rural Electrification Program
• The program is centered around Rural Electricity
  consumers societies, who perform functions
  within their respective command areas, such as
• Planning
• Implementation
• Management
• Repair and maintenance
• Total scope of commercial operation, including
  purchase and selling of electricity
• Technical and economic performances of the
  societies have been very successful
• A rural power company has been sponsored by the
  societies, which has built a power plant and
  sells excess electricity to the national grid

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Major Initiatives in the ICT Sector
Innovative Development Initiatives of Bangladesh

• Oral Re-hydration
• A simple but effective intervention to cure
  cholera patients, which does not need
  hospitalization or expert medical advice
• The treatment is administered by an oral intake
  of a solution of water, salt and sugar
• The solution was found through an international
  collaborative effort through the ICDDR, B, Dhaka
• This simple solution to the killer disease is now
  widely used in many countries of the world

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Benefits, risks and uncertainties of New and
  Emerging Science Technologies (NEST)
• Origin of NEST and Uncertainties
• Developing countries are more involved in NEST
  (Funding, infrastructure..)
• Question Will all of them be responsive to needs
  in the developing countries?
• Hence there is a need for selection of
  appropriate NEST
• Technology transfer is dependent on the decision
  of the provider and its commercial interest
• Benefits of NEST
• Help meeting global demand for goods and services
• Environmental sustainability
• Efficiency and better utilization of resources
• Improvements in the production function

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Benefits, risks and uncertainties of New and
  Emerging Science Technologies (NEST)
• Risks Example Genetically Modified Organisms
  (GMO)
• Controversies on
• Possible adverse effects on environment, human
  health\
• Interference of GMO on indigenous and
  traditional agricultural practices
• Effects on genetics of indigenous crops
• IPR and adaptability to local conditions

MANY PROBLEMS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND SOLUTIONS
FOUND BEFORE REALISTIC POTENTIALS OF GMOs ARE
CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHED
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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Benefits, risks and uncertainties of New and
  Emerging Science Technologies (NEST)
• Policy issues on NEST
• Bangladesh National ST Policy provides for
  acquisition of NEST suiting local needs and
  conditions
• Willingness of the provider to transfer
  technology and conditions more important
• A set of criteria may be evolved on selection of
  NEST
• Focused dialogues among developing countries,
  developed countries and the international
  agencies (such as UN CSTD) to decide on a set of
  conditions for transfer of NEST
• Technology providers, on their part, should
  define the minimum conditions for facilitating
  transfer of technology

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Strengthening RD infrastructure and knowledge
  networking
• Knowledge should be considered as the human
  heritage and access to it should be unhindered
• Policy Issues
• Proactive action program by the governments
• Capacity building, including focused HRD to
  facilitate meeting MDG
• Training opportunities and academic programs in
  institutions in the developed countries
• Brain drainage to be reduced through initiatives
  of all concerned
• Effective network to be developed (possibly at
  the initiative of UN SCTD) to share knowledge
• Effective mechanism for sharing knowledge,
  expertise and experience among the scientific
  communities of all countries. Collaborative
  research should be encouraged for this purpose
• Technologies alongside with their end-products
  should be made available to developing countries.
  
• Capacity building in ST in individual countries
  should be emphasized
• State-of-the-art technologies to supplement
  indigenous knowledge
• International and bilateral cooperation should be
  enhanced
• Role of UN CSTD should be strengthened.

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Strengthening Technology Support to RD
  Institutions
• Policy Issues
• Duplication of technology support should be
  avoided and a limited number of such units
  focused on the disciplines should be developed
• Regional and international technological support
  units may be developed focused on NEST
• Internet access
• Development of the national communication
  backbone responsive to the ICT program
• International financial support essential
• Access of developing countries to NEST in ICT
  should be improved (international and regional
  financing institutions)
• Cost of internet services should be made
  affordable to all cross-sections of economic
  groups
• Unhindered access to the internet superhighway to
  all needs to be ensured

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Role of ST in Poverty Alleviation
• Poverty Reduction Strategy of Bangladesh)
• vision Progressive realization of rights in
  shortest possible time
• Policy Issues having linkages to ST are
• Countrys commitment to the Millennium
  Declaration
• Eradication of hunger
• Eradication of food insecurity
• Universal primary education
• Health for all
• Improving gender equity
• Reducing infant and maternal mortality
• Prevention of environmental degradation
• Disaster management

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Policy Issues having linkages to ST (continued)
• Emphasis on ICT and bio-technology
• ICT has special significance as an important
  source income generation and can ply critical
  role in
• employment generation
• fostering productivity
• enhancing human development
• improving governance
• window to the global market
• Emphasis on skill and technology upgradation for
  facilitating access to the global market, import
  substitution in post WTO era
• Technology acquisition and upgradation are
  essential for economic competitiveness

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KEY ISSUES OF SYNERGY BETWEEN ST AND
DEVELOPMENT

• Role of ST in Public-Private Sector Partnership
• Bangladesh is in the transition from centralized
  planned to market economy
• The public sector is still not very active in the
  ST sector
• The NCST provides a forum for improving the
  public-private partnership
• The needs and priorities of the private sector
  should be featured in the ST programs to provide
  proper linkages
• Various policy documents as well as the national
  development plan have provisions for improving
  the synergy

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Some Recommendations to improve synergy between
ST and sustainable development

• Focused efforts should be given to harness
  benefits of ST for improving living conditions
  in developing countries
• Transfer to technology to developing countries
  should be augmented
• The world forum may chalk out a program of action
  focusing on the following
• National policy should be responsive to the needs
  of synergy between ST and sustainable
  development
• International cooperation should be strengthened
• Special programs need to be initiated for
  efficient disaster management
• Role of UNCSTD
• UN CSTD may draw up a road map on initiating a
  multi-lateral dialogue of stakeholders to
  facilitate resolving problems mentioned earlier
• A special fund may be created by the UN system to
  implement the tasks under the suggested road map