The Ministry of Science & ICT started its journey with high hopes and expectations. All hopes and expectations were shattered by the saga of misappropriation of Taka 180 million scam of the R&D fund. The government and people of Bangladesh have made a grave mistake entrusting the most promising sector Information and Communication Technology with Ministry of Science & Technology for national development. The division of ICT amongst three ministries is synonymous to the partitioning of the subcontinent by the colonial power. Similar partitioning of ICT has created conducive environment for breeding corruption. The ministry was entrusted with ICT component of the project “Support for Development of Public Sector use of ICT under a World Bank financed project EMPTAP. The Ministry of Science & ICT appointed comrades-in-arms in the alleged misappropriation saga of Tk.180 million R&D fund as project director. The project director had tried to misappropriate fund through filing an application for research fund of Taka six lacs as an employee of a fake NGO. The government Public Servant act 1979 Section 1 clearly prohibits government employee from taking job in NGO without prior permission from government. The ministry of Science & ICT has ignored repeated request from Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) to remove the corrupt project director.

The Project Director and his comrade in arms awarded UK based consultancy firm Gov3 to prepare National ICT Roadmap/Action Plan. The report presented in the National ICT Roadmap/Action Plan does not meet the definition of Roadmap or Action Plan. The reports Executive Summary is filled with incoherent, inconsistent sentences and un-explained diagrams. The authors of this report has tried to portray a false sense of approval of the report by Chief Advisers Office by putting the name of Director General (Administration) of Chief Advisors Office at the top in list of experts and representative of different sectors who have been consulted in preparation of the report.

The authors have assembled comments of various natures from numerous sources and have failed to explain their relationship with National ICT Roadmap and Action Plan. The authors have failed to realise that the existing various reports including the Horizon Scan by the e-government cell at Chief Advisers office are simply compilations of existing ICT related activities by different stake holders whereas the desired National ICT Roadmap and action plan would be the guides for achieving the desired level over future timeline. This will require goal setting, charting the activities to achieve the goals in described time frame.

The appraisal procedures and feasibility studies are vague in nature and recommendations have not followed from any logical sequence of evaluation. The suggestion for appointment of Chief Digital Advisor reporting directly to Chief Advisor and driving the ICT roadmap does not make sense. Further more the report suggests Chief Digital Advisor should have board level experience of driving change in both public and private sectors, and be empowered to act as the central focus of leadership across government on ICT issues. The authors of this report have no explanation of this “board level experience”. The whole suggestion has not reconciled the existing activities of the minister / adviser of care taker government in charge of ICT or the role of Ministry of Science & ICT or the ICT task force. The popping up and coining of ideas without basis is deliberate attempt to confuse the government and hamper all future development of ICT in Bangladesh.

The authors and the sponsors of such reports should be severely scrutinized for their academic qualifications, research experiences in similar areas. Any first year student of local university with decent academic background could have prepared a better ICT Roadmap and Action Plan. The authors of this report seem are not aware of the meaning of the Roadmap and Action Plan. The report does not give idea of Where we are, Where to go, and How to go rather it has presented some facts without coherence and objectives from various papers.

The basic objectives of the management of this project and ministry of science and ICT seem to have been directed towards foreign visit. The project director is incompetent and ignorant to drive a study of this nature. The recent overseas tours arranged by the project and selection of the persons are clear indication of rampant corruption. The inclusion of personal secretary and the public relation officer of the special assistant to the Chief Advisor in charge of Ministry are done with the principle of distributing the bounty to keep the authority in dark about the corruption being perpetuated by the guardians of the project in league with ministry.

Jute industry was once an important industry for the economy of the country. We lost our edge and strength due the wrong policies. We are facing numerous obstacles with our readymade garments industry due to our mistakes. The overseas employment of our worker is in chaos due to neglect by the government due to misguiding reports. Now the cherished ICT in Bangladesh is under threat by professional bankruptcy and alleged corruption of the Ministry of Science & ICT. The government should immediately take remedial action by removing the corrupt and incompetent project director and constitute an enquiry commission to punish all those involved in such heinous crime against the nation. The recent downtrend in the science education is also a result of mismanagement by the Ministry of Science & ICT. The corruption in the R&D fund has dried all hopes of advancement of research and development in the country, the past neglect of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has deprived the nation from the benefits of the nuclear energy. Countries like UK, France etc. are all increasing their capacity of power generation through use nuclear energy whereas Bangladesh with uncertain energy reserve is wasting time due to the indifference of the ministry.

The Care Taker Government has taken many severe steps to safeguard national interest. The government should take immediate steps to save ICT in the country through establishment of Infocomm Authority and bringing ICT, Telecom & Broadcasting under single ministry.