Project Highlights

Team: Dr. Zulkarin Jahangir, Abdullah Hasan Safir, and Shamael Ahmed

The Digital Pathways of Initiative of University of Oxford identified clear opportunities for developing countries to harness technological change through years of research, analysis and dialogue. The commission has developed a Digital Economy Kit that provides a framework for countries to get digitally ready. It is not about ICT sector strategies, instead it is about holistic growth strategies that harness digital technologies across the economy.

Building on the work and networks of the initiative, we brought together relevant stakeholders in Bangladesh to craft a strategy primer reflects the shared vision for the digital future of the country. We partnered with Access to Information Programme, ICT Division in this regard.

Find Bangladesh Case study in Oxford microsite.

Project Outcomes

A Digital Readiness Assessment report, The Future of Digital in Bangladesh, which analyzed the relevant readiness conditions of the digital economy in Bangladesh and identified major areas of economic opportunities that Bangladesh may be able to tap into and scale up as a result of the technological innovation and developments.

A Strategy Primer, the final outcome of the overall process which identifies the collaborative actions that need to be taken to make Bangladesh thrive in the digital economy, and by whom, to provide a sense of quick wins, medium-term priorities, and long-term roles distributed across the stakeholders. We emphasized on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITeS) sectors, the continued integration of digital payments and development of platforms to connect informal workers to the formal economy, as well as the creation of a vibrant innovation ecosystem for digital entrepreneurs looking to address challenges in Bangladesh in the document.