One of the more unseen issues facing Bangladesh right now is the digital divide that exists between various clusters of our populace, particularly between men and women.
A report by the Population and Housing Census 2022 found that a little over 45% of women use mobile phones in the country, in comparison to men. This leads to a situation where women have limited access to essential services like education, health care, and even employment.
For a nation that has worked for the better part of a decade in improving its digital infrastructure, such a divide is especially noticeable.
This “digital divide” is especially unacceptable when one considers how our mainstream education system is gradually becoming more digital now -- a trend that has only been sped up since the pandemic. Which is all the more reason why this discrepancy will need to be addressed soon.
Furthermore, this also means that women, half of our nation's population, are missing out on employment opportunities which are facilitated through our growing online and digital infrastructure. Given just how much headway Bangladesh has made in including women within the mainstream economy, this is deeply disappointing.
While the administration has continued to invest in our digital infrastructure it needs to also make sure that its availability is equitable across the board. Periodic assessments, to that end, have to be carried out -- especially in rural areas -- to fully understand existing shortcomings that contribute to the situation above, and to figure out ways to tackle them.
Leaving behind anyone, let alone half of our population, will not help us achieve the goal of a Smart Bangladesh.
