'PM leveraging Digital Bangladesh initiatives in delivering post-Covid public health services'
The Bangladeshi high commissioner said this at the virtual Commonwealth Leaders meeting on the Covid-19 crisis earlier this week
Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is delivering public health services and humanitarian emergency aid to the people's doorstep, utilising 'GovTech' and 'DevTech' under her 'Digital Bangladesh' vision'', said Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Saida Muna Tasneem.
The Bangladeshi high commissioner said this at the virtual Commonwealth Leaders meeting on the Covid-19 crisis earlier this week.
Presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers of 30 Commonwealth member countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Belize, Bahamas, Uganda, Tanzania, Guyana, and the Gambia attended the meeting.
Tasneem spoke at the meeting as a representative of the prime minister of Bangladesh.
She briefed the Commonwealth leaders about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's post-Covid innovative digitalisation initiatives in public services including the 333-digital helpline for emergency health support, Muktopaath (an international award-winning open e-Learning program) for training doctors, Food for Nation App to ensure emergency supply chains, EkShop App (e-commerce platform) for connecting farmers with consumers, '2-minute' online bank account from home, digital wallets for payment of wages, Bangladesh Post Office Digital Financial transaction "Nagad" and various other digital services during the Covid-19 emergency.
Echoing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's six priorities of global action to combat Covid-19 at the World Economic Forum's Covid Response Dialogue, High Commissioner Tasneem called upon the Commonwealth leaders to become the collective and common voice of the most vulnerable countries including the LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS and countries with special needs during the post-Covid global socioeconomic recovery initiatives.
She also called for assurances that LDCs meeting the graduation thresholds would continue to receive all flexibilities including sustained GSP facilities.
In the meeting, Commonwealth leaders appreciated the Bangladesh prime minister's $11.50 billion financial and social safety-net support packages for the most vulnerable segments of society including the RMG and daily workers and her 'GovTech' and 'DevTech' initiatives.
The Commonwealth secretary-general acknowledged Bangladesh's early warning system and disaster preparedness including the quick evacuation of 2.5 million people from coastal areas during cyclone Amphan.