Positive change blowing thru postal services
UNB
KHULNA: A wind of positive change is blowing through the governments postal services as huge opportunities will open up for more entrepreneurs in Khulna and Barisal divisions with the imminent digitisation of the postal services, reports UNB.
Officials at the Postal Department informed that the government has taken up a project to incorporate e-centres in 249 post offices in the two divisions to facilitate various e-services to people that will also create spaces for entrepreneurship in the sector.
Currently, 2,590 entrepreneurs have been engaged in providing the e-service through the e-centres already existing in the post offices in 22 districts under the divisions.
Tahmina Akter, an entrepreneur from Nelahpur village of Rupsha Upazila in Khulna, told UNB that how this entrepreneurship has changed her life. She used to work as a postmaster of the village post office.
It was much difficult for her to manage her family with the poor salary, she said, but is earning Tk 15,000-20,000 per month after the conversion of the post office into an e-centre.
Like Tahmina, a good number of educated youngsters have turned the wheel of fortune up. All of them are not necessarily employees of the Postal Department.
Rofsan Jamil Lipu was leading a jobless life on completion of his Masters degree from Khulna Govt BL College. He is also testing his fortune in the sector.
Talking about the facilities of these e-centres, he said, people can exchange emails, compose in computers, browse the internet, scan or take and print photographs, receive computer trainings and many more computer-based works.
Even opening up an account and continuing banking transactions through post offices is now possible only by getting a postal cash card costing Tk 45 only.
Deputy Postmaster General of Khulna Division Md. Aminur Rahman said the conversion of the countrys 8,000 post offices into post e-centers under the project, titled Post E-Centre for Rural Community, is going on in full swing and the task is likely to be accomplished by June 30, 2017.
So far, 2,590 among 2,839 post offices under Khulna circle have been transformed into e-centers. The conversion of the remaining 249 post offices will be done within the stipulated time, he hoped. Aminur Rahman also said that the e-centres will ease the access of various services to the rural people.
Entrepreneurs will receive 80 per cent of the income from these e-centers while 20 per cent will be deposited to the revenue sector, said the Deputy Postmaster General.
A policy for the operation of e-centres has also been constituted to this end. The Postal department came to an agreement with the entrepreneurs which will be renewed every year.
