Over the last decade, one of the most visible forms of development that Bangladesh underwent was the proliferation of the internet and digital services in even the most remote corners of the country.
As a nation which has specifically focused on digitization, bringing services to the fingertips of millions of people across the country is all but imperative, and the government deserves a lot of the praise for laying the groundwork.
However, despite the reach of digital services, as a nation, the rate of digital literacy in Bangladesh is still quite low as a large segment of the population still lags behind despite the availability and affordability of digital services and devices. This is particularly true for older groups, who naturally find it harder to learn the new methods and all the intricacies involved in effectively using new technology.
While the vast majority of people are able to send and receive rudimentary SMS texts, they are lagging behind when it comes to rudimentary skills such as sending emails, or using search engines to find information.
This needs to change.
While there are government initiatives in place that seek to improve the state of our digital literacy, it is good to know that third parties are also joining the effort, with companies such as Microsoft launching programs that seek to bridge the gap from basic digital literacy to more advanced technical skills training which could help Bangladesh attract more foreign investment through outsourcing.
In spite of great strides in terms of mobile phone penetration and the spread of various mobile services, there is a long way to go in terms of basic digital literacy. While we may be heading in the right direction, it's high time that we increased our digital skills bandwidth.
