The government plans to provide high-speed broadband internet connections to all public universities, colleges and training institutes as part of its ‘Digital Bangladesh’ initiative.
Posts and Telecommunications Division sources say the Tk44.98 crore project is expected to be accomplished within the next year, reports UNB.
They say 626 government colleges, universities and training institutes will get uninterrupted broadband internet connection.
For the connections, 1,041km fibre optic cable must be laid.
Government officials say the internet connections will help every student to catch up with global trends.
Posts and Telecommunications Division had initially sought a Tk24.9 crore budget to provide broadband connections to 437 institutions between March 2018 and February 2019.
The proposal was later modified in April to accommodate 626 institutions, at a cost of Tk44.98 crore. The project duration has then been revised which is from July 2018 to December 2019.
Telecom and ICT Minister Mustafa Jabbar said he directed Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited to show progress on the project by September this year.
He said the project is very important for achieving 'Digital Bangladesh'. "The internet will enable our students to cope with the global learning practices and they will not fall behind and be progressive," he told UNB.
Sources at the ministry said the progress will gain pace once a project director is recruited. The recruitment will take place within the next couple of months.
The government has already taken initiatives to set up broadband internet connection across all the district cities, upazila towns and union parishads.