CPD calls for simpler, more accessible local govt services

Speakers at a dialogue today (31 August) recommended making e-governance at local government institutions more citizen-centric, accessible, inclusive and accountable through end-to-end digitalisation, stronger ICT infrastructure, improved digital literacy and effective grievance-redress mechanisms.

They made the recommendations at a dialogue titled "E-Governance at the Local Government Institutions: Current State and Way Forward", organised under Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) in partnership with Switzerland and Canada and co-funded by the European Union.

Dr Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), chaired the dialogue, while Katharina K"nig, Deputy Team Leader, Nagorikata: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF), delivered the introductory remarks.

The distinguished discussants included Dr Ananya Raihan, Chairperson, iSocial; Aminul Mohaimen, MIS Expert in Public Finance Management; Fazlul Zayed Pavel, Senior Consultant, Aspire to Innovate (a2i); and Mohammad Nur Ullah, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).

Tamim Ahmed, Research Fellow, CPD and Sabina Sharmin, Research Associate, CPD, made keynote presentations.

The speakers stressed that digital transformation at the local level should not remain limited to putting forms and information online.

Rather, government services should be redesigned so that citizens can complete the maximum possible number of steps digitally without repeated visits to government offices or submission of physical documents.

The CPD study recommends strengthening digital literacy, particularly in digitally underserved areas, with training on e-services, digital payments, online applications, data privacy and grievance mechanisms.

It also proposes a "One Digital Member per Household" initiative to ensure that at least one member of each household can access essential government e-services.

The study calls for greater awareness of Union Digital Centres (UDCs), targeted community campaigns and women-focused digital literacy programmes.

It also recommends privacy-protective mechanisms to address concerns over misuse of personal information, online fraud and unauthorised access.

Speakers also recommended establishing accessible grievance mechanisms through which citizens can report service failures, delays, technical problems, unofficial fees and data-related concerns and track the resolution of complaints.

Regular social audits should assess whether women, youth, persons with disabilities and marginalised communities are meaningfully participating in local decision-making.

The study further recommends ensuring that e-service information is accessible to persons with disabilities and marginalised communities through screen-reader compatibility, simple language, audio assistance and accessible formats.

It proposes a "No Wrong Door" principle under which citizens would not need to know which government agency provides a particular service; the system would direct them to the appropriate authority.

On the supply side, the CPD recommends strategically expanding UDCs and rural digital centres in underserved areas, prioritising poorly rated government services for redesign and end-to-end digitisation, and mapping major e-service processes to eliminate unnecessary physical visits and paperwork.

It proposes an "End-to-End Digital Service" standard under which application, verification, payment, processing, communication and final delivery should be completed digitally wherever the nature of the service permits.

The study also recommends ensuring at least one functional computer and essential ICT equipment in every Union Parishad office, designating an ICT focal point in every local government office and establishing a tiered ICT support system linking Union-level officials with Upazila- and district-level technical teams.

It further calls for stronger interoperability among government databases, a single application-status tracking mechanism, clear service-level standards specifying official fees and processing times, and an e-governance performance dashboard to monitor service availability, citizen satisfaction, grievance resolution and inclusion.

The CPD recommends introducing a Local Government Digital Readiness Index to assess Union and Upazila offices in terms of connectivity, equipment, staff capacity, service availability, cybersecurity, accessibility and citizen usage.

It also calls for integrating cybersecurity and data-protection training into frontline government training.

The dialogue concluded with an emphasis on ensuring that Bangladesh's digital transformation reaches citizens at the grassroots and that e-governance becomes a practical tool for improving transparency, accountability, service delivery and inclusion at the local level.