Why Union Digital Centres have fallen from grace

The Union Digital Centres (UDC) were launched at union parishads across the country with the stated goals of providing 60 types of digital services ranging from birth certification to land registration, from visa application to language and computer skills training for the rural people. 

But over the past more than one decade these digital centres have reduced to offices providing only birth and death certificates due to poor planning, outdated equipment, and faulty monitoring systems.

On 11 November 2010, the then Awami League government launched the centres, recruiting two persons – one male and one female – at each centre as entrepreneurs.

The entrepreneurs allege they have been working for 14 years without permanent employment. They do not receive any salary or allowances from government funds but are instead paid based on contracts tied to the earnings generated by the digital centres.

Besides, with smartphone and computer services now available at the individual level, even in villages, the number of people visiting the centres has naturally declined, they say.

Local government expert Professor Mohammad Tariqul Islam from the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University told TBS, "The Union Digital Centres operated efficiently in their early stages, with the primary goal of introducing digital services to marginalised populations by 2021."

He also said, "The upgrade in technology has diminished the utility of the 14-year-old devices. Additionally, the monitoring process for the UDCs is severely flawed and inadequate. Without government salaries or allowances for entrepreneurs, the effectiveness of the centres has waned."

In Maria union of Rajshahi's Bagmara upazila, the UDC operates with three desktop computers and two laptops provided by the government.

Abdul Malek, one of the entrepreneurs, said, "We've been given a room by the union parishad and don't need to pay the electricity bill, but we are responsible for all maintenance, including computer servicing."

"A fee of Tk20 to Tk50 is charged for each application form, and our income depends solely on what we earn here. Additionally, we receive no allowances from the government," he added.

He mentioned that fewer people visit the digital service centres now compared to earlier years.

"In the beginning, there was a lot of work pressure, but now the workload has dropped by half. The online processes for birth registration and national ID cards are mostly completed, with only newborns needing to be registered," he said.

"With more people managing services on their own, fewer come to the union centres for assistance," added Abdul Malek.

In addition to birth and death registrations, the UDCs are designated to provide services such as filling out land deed forms, life insurance, rural electricity bill payments, government form submissions, public examination results, online university admissions, VGF-VGD lists, citizen certificates, and agricultural information.

Private services include mobile banking, computer training, photography, job information, visa application and tracking, as well as printing, scanning, photocopying, and laminating.

Rezaul Haque, chairman of Maria Union Parishad, said, "While other Union Digital Centres charge fees ranging from Tk100 to Tk150 for services, we provide services here according to the government-fixed rates."

Ariful Islam, an entrepreneur at Mandari Union Digital Centre in Laxmipur Sadar upazila, said, "The primary task for most citizens who visit the union digital centres is to register births or deaths. About 80% of our work involves birth and death registrations."

Bipra Das Kundu, who has been providing services since 2011 at the UDC in No-8 Sharafpur Union of Dumuria upazila, Khulna, said, "Certain services have government-set fees, which go to the government as revenue. We charge a little extra, and I keep that amount since I don't receive a salary from the government."

"For example, the government fee for birth registration is Tk50, but we charge Tk70, and I keep the additional Tk20. We also charge Tk30 for writing an appraisal letter," he added.

Some entrepreneurs report that the establishment of private computer services and photocopy shops in many unions has drawn away customers who previously utilised the services at UDCs.

Salim Sardar, an entrepreneur at the UDC in Shailgachi union of Naogaon Sadar upazila, said, "Our income has decreased significantly due to the opening of photocopy shops in front of the union parishad. It has become difficult to support my family with the income I earn now."

The National Pension Authority has been unable to fully implement its plan to bring the Universal Pension Scheme to people's doorsteps through the Union Digital Centres due to their inactivity in many unions.

National Pension Authority member Md Golam Mostafa said, "Out of 5,591 UDCs, only 823 centres are currently registering for pension schemes, with a total of 32,808 individuals registered so far. If all the centres were operational, it would have been much easier to deliver the benefits of the pension scheme to the people."

Service recipients report being harassed while using services at various digital service centres.

Najma Akhtar from Nangalkot, Cumilla, said her elder son will go to China for higher education. Although all the documents were correct, her name was registered with "Begum" instead of "Akhtar" on her son's birth certificate.

To resolve the issue, she visited the local Union Digital Centre and paid Tk500 to correct the mistake.

However, she later discovered errors on the newly corrected birth certificate. When she returned to the Union Parishad, she was advised to contact the deputy commissioner's office.

"Later, I learned that the mistake was made deliberately for money," she said.

Officials from the Local Government Division say there is no updated information on how many UDCs are operational or the range of services they are providing.

Demand for permanent jobs

On 21 September, the Jhenaidah branch of the Union Digital Center Director Welfare Association held a press conference to demand permanent employment for its members.

Mujibul Haque, central vice president of the organisation, said, "Although the entrepreneurs employed at the digital centres have been working continuously for 14 years, their jobs have not been made permanent."

He also said, "Entrepreneurs appointed in the Union Digital Centres are being dismissed at will. The Local Government Division created a new position for Accounts Assistant cum Computer Operator through a gazette in 2016, which has led to interference with the work of the entrepreneurs at the Union Digital Centres, causing harassment for the directors."