Critical assessment stressed to find more areas to digitise

"Digitally we have done quite well. But if we critically assess our progress and compare our development with other countries, we will find there are more areas to improve." 

This is how Kamal Quadir, chief executive officer (CEO) of bKash, assessed Bangladesh's progress in digitisation as he was speaking at a discussion titled "Succeeding through technology transformation: the Bangladesh Story" on Sunday organised by PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC) Bangladesh (Pvt) Ltd.     

Talking about the drivers monitoring system in the ride-sharing industry, the bKash CEO said, "The ride-sharing industry has boomed in many countries as in our country. But we cannot monitor the drivers in ride-sharing platforms, while others are doing it."  

There are many good sides, too, he said, citing that Bangladesh has successfully introduced national identification card (NID), while many countries like the Philippines still do not have NIDs.

But only speaking high of good things and concealing the weaknesses will keep the country behind others in the global race, he felt.

Mamun Rashid, Managing Partner, PwC Bangladesh (Pvt) Ltd said technology is the best way to eradicate discrimination and deprivation for which people fought the liberation war in 1971.

"Better support at affordable cost by technology inclusion is itself an effort to get rid of deprivation. Ensuring all people's excess to financial institutions through MFS irrespective of poor and rich itself is a great development," he said.

Among others, PwC Bangladesh (Pvt) Ltd's Associate Director (Advisory) Sadeq Zaman,  Principal Consultant (Advisory) Aseya Mehnaz Kabir, Senior Associate Director (Data & Analytics, Techology) Tasnim Naz and Abu Sayed Mohammad Talha Noman spoke at the event.