Government
administration in Bangladesh can
be revolutionised, can acquire a new higher momentum, transparency and accountability from fuller
computer
utilisation in
the various
government
services
Introduce full-fledged e-governance
Md Amin Ibrahim
There are many areas in Bangladesh where the use of the computer can revolutionise the government administration. A workshop on the subject was organised last year at the LGED Bhaban. Participants in it discussed how government administration in Bangladesh can be revolutionised, can acquire a new high momentum, transparency and accountability from computer utilisation in the various government services.
How computerisation can speed up administration is evident from only the working of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). Even in the eighties, the BRTA did its work manually. Mountains of paper at each BRTA office was the unchanging scene. This situation understandably bred delays and corruption for such a thing as even the simple act of registration of a car after its purchase. Things began to change from the early part of the nineties when BRTA offices were fully computerised. Now registration and other documentation can be done much faster within one working day or only some hours and also hassle free from a BRTA office by those who are familiar with its current system of working and who do not fall prey to touts at these offices. Anyway one looks at it, computerisation marked an advance for the better in BRTA offices.
The same kind of efficiency, speed of working, transparency and reduction of corruption can be achieved by introducing computers in all spheres of the government administration. The customs department is considered as a very corrupt one in Bangladesh. But use of the computer-- which has much reduced the need for human application-- is reportedly already succeeding in bringing corruption down in this key department. With its greater computerisation, perhaps the corruption in this department can be reduced substantially.
The courts represent another institution where computerisation is badly required. The procedures of the courts from the higher to the lower levels are found to be extremely slow. This is because of the ossified system of record keeping through handwriting. The system breeds not only inefficiency or a very slow process from checking documents to preparing for different stages of trials. The systems also provides ample scope for tampering with documents and records. But a computerised system can rapidly obliterate these ills and inject speed at every stage.
The police department can similarly benefit from computerisation. This department is a vital institution and experienced some logistical improvements in recent times. But in respect of computerisation, it has not even made a modest beginning. Policemen still handwrite their investigation reports. The files are sometimes kept under leaky roofs at police stations in the remote areas and get destroyed or spoiled in different ways. It is standard procedure in many countries to maintain up-to-date records on criminals and suspect figures in computer data bases. These things are still great unknowns to policemen in Bangladesh. Therefore, polices functioning can be much improved with computerisation. A single computer with trained operator in each police station can contribute a great deal in the activities of policemen.
Ultimately, all governmental functions should be aimed for computerisation at the earliest as a way of checking corruption and contributing to efficiency. Government employees also will have to be trained simultaneously for a smooth transition from the traditional to the computerised system. The present government is undertaking commendable activities in different spheres. It should make a serious attempt for achieving also full e-governance during its stay in power. But it should also set a time-frame for completing this task and aim for doing a major part of the work before it ends its tenure.
The writer researches on developmental and social issues
