Access to Information (a2i), the flagship program of Digital Bangladesh, has launched the country’s first digital crowd-funding platform Ekdesh for raising funds and disbursing them as zakat or financial aid.
Information and Communication Technology Division State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the platform via an online inauguration program on Friday.
People of the country can donate to the prime minister’s relief fund, the Islamic Foundation, or several other non-government organizations through this platform to help the poor people or small businesses hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
The money can be donated through the Ekdesh website, or its mobile app.
Several organizations like Brac, Bidyanondo Foundation, Center for Zakat Management, Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), and Sajida Foundation have already joined the platform.
Palak said: “The Ekdesh platform will create a bridge between the donor and the recipient.
“Famine does not happen due to the lack of food, it happens because of lack of proper distribution. We aim to implement proper distribution through the bridge created by this new platform. People will be able to give zakat or financial aid to the recipient of their choice using this platform,” he added.
During the online inauguration program, the state minister commented about the government’s food and financial aid to more than 50 million people. He also noted numerous non-government organizations’ remarkable contribution during this unprecedented crisis.
Bangladesh Scouts President Md Abul Kalam Azad, a2i Digital Financial Service Program Manager Md Tohurul Hasan, a2i Project Director Dr Md Abdul Mannan, Islamic Foundation Director General Anis Mahmud, a2i Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury, Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh, Sajida Foundation Executive Director Zahida Fizza Kabir, Bangladesh Brand Forum Managing Director Shariful Islam, Bank Asia President Arfan Ali, Bidyanondo Founder Kishor Kumar Das, and CRP Executive Director Shafiq-ul Islam were among others who joined the online inauguration program headed by NM Zeaul Alam, ICT senior secretary.