Information and communication technology (ICT) has become an integral part of governmental activities at the outset of twenty-first century. To transform Bangladesh into “Digital Bangladesh” by the year 2021 need to provide government services at the door steps of the rural people. UDC envisages for creating a knowledge-based society by functioning as an e-service delivery point to bring various government, commercial and social services to the doorsteps of rural people by reducing all the hassles. In the past, most of the rural people did not get proper services in proper time due to the traditional service delivery system in Bangladesh.

1. E-Governance and Public
Service Delivery in
Bangladesh: A Study on Union
Digital Centre (UDC)

2. Dr. Md. Ruhul Amin
Associate Professor
Department of Public Administration
Comilla University
Cumilla, Bangladesh.

3. Introductory Chapter
 Introduction & Background of the Study:
 Information and communication technology (ICT) has
become an integral part of governmental activities at
the outset of twenty-first century.
 To transform Bangladesh into “Digital Bangladesh” by
the year 2021 need to provide government services at
the door steps of the rural people.
 UDC envisages for creating a knowledge-based
society by functioning as an e-service delivery point to
bring various government, commercial and social
services to the doorsteps of rural people by reducing
all the hassles.
 In the past, most of the rural people did not get proper
services in proper time due to the traditional service
delivery system in Bangladesh.

4. Introduction & Background of the Study
(Continue….)
 ICT is the vital point of any digital initiative.
 The government has only from 1997 started the
process of developing a national ICT strategy.
 In 2002 Bangladesh identified ICT as a "thrust
sector”
 Government has already taken different steps to
promote e-governance and have drawn up a
roadmap for the implementation of e-services to
citizen’s welfare.
 Digital Bangladesh is an Idea that includes the IT
use for management, administration and
governance to ensure transparency, accountability
and answerability at all levels of society and state.
 That is why the UDCs have been established to
minimize rural people’s time, cost and labor for
getting services and information and at the same

5. Introduction & Background of the Study
(Continue….)
Bureaucracy is instead an organizational
solution adopted by the government to
implement the public policies and therefore
to guarantee impartiality in the
administrative action.
A number of e-governance schemes
currently underway that the citizens can
reach the services at anytime from
anywhere without being constrained
(Siddiquee N. A, 2018).
The main focus of this research is to
evaluate the effectiveness of e-governance
service delivery through the UDC in

6. Statement of the Problem
i. In traditional system of service delivery all
kinds of governmental services are provided
manually, it is very expensive.
ii. In the past, most of our rural people did not
get proper services in proper time due to
this traditional service delivery system.
iii. In this process, as they go to the district
headquarter for getting services and desired
information regarding services, they have to
pay more than the actual cost of services.
iv. At the same time, they have to put more
physical labor in getting services or

7. Statement of the Problem (Continue…)
I. UDCs are PPPP (Public-Private-People’s
Partnership) modelled telecentres' as part of taking
steps to decrease digital divide and increase public e-
service delivery efficiency.
II. However, to introduce such set-up at periphery level,
financial and technological support remains a big
challenge.
III. Lack of infrastructure, logistic support, proper
management, and awareness, this potential initiative
getting fade (Salam and Marjan, 2015).
IV. The service quality and standard enriched so fast in
urban areas but not as much in rural areas.
V. While the government trying to provide all digital
services in rural areas, in the meantime people of the
rural areas are unable to take these facilities due to
their less concern, education, and knowledge about
all the facts of digital services.

8. Rationality of the Study
a. Although Bangladesh is a developing country
with variety of social problems, it is dreaming for
being Digital Bangladesh.
b. UDC is one of the most important step in this
way which is providing different government and
private services to rural people who are
deprived of getting services and information
properly and in due time.
c. UDC is a place where all sorts of on-line
government and commercial services are
available and accessible to the grassroots
people.
d. The usage of ICT is broadening the operational
capacity of public administration and the

9. Research Objectives
 Main Objective: To assess the capacity of UDCs
in public service delivery at local level in
Bangladesh.
 Specific Objectives:
 To delineate the present status of Union Digital
Centers (UDC) of Bangladesh;
 To identify the factors influence the sustainability
of UDCs.
 To find out the gap between local government
and citizens in the light of public services
delivery;
 To identify the existing challenges and barriers of
e-service delivery of UDCs; and
 To recommend strategic policies based on
grassroots reality to make UDCs more effective

10. Research Question of the Study
To conduct the study smoothly, the following
research questions will be consider and followed:
 What are the infrastructural facilities of UDCs?
 Does e-governance matter to provide public
services through UDCs effectively?
 What are the gaps between the local
government and local citizens in public
services?
 What are the challenges of e-governance and
UDCs? And
 How can UDCs provide better service facing
number of challenges in local level?

11. Justification of the Study
A. Bangladesh is a third world developing country with
huge population.
B. UDC is a place where all sorts of off- line, on-line
government & commercial services are available for
the grassroots people.
C. The rural poor typically lack access to information vital
to their lives and livelihoods.
D. The Government of Bangladesh committed to
become an ICT driven nation and envisage ensuring
accessibility of ICT to every people.
E. UDC help the smoothen and easy access of
government services to the mass people with the
minimum cost which will ensure the good governance
and Digital Bangladesh.

12. Literature Review
 To achieving the Digital Bangladesh vision, is divided into four
major inter- related components: Digital Government, Digital
Education, e-Health Care, and Digital Business (Ananya
Raihan, 2009).
 e-Government is- “the use by government agencies of
information technologies that has the ability to transform
relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of
government (Karim. A, Principal Secretary, 2010).
 The resulting benefits can be less corruption, increased
transparency, greater convenience, revenue growth, and/or
cost reductions” (Monem & Hasan 2012).
 ICTs have emerged as a non-threatening approach to
catalyse, not force, administrative reform through various
productivity enhancement tools and knowledge management
platforms, but most importantly, by providing a natural vehicle
for re-engineering business processes both for service
delivery and for administrative decision making (UNCTAD,

13. Research Gap
 No special services to help the rural illiterate
people.
 No fixed office hours maintained at digital
centres.
 Lack of consistency in websites update and
maintenance.
 Insufficient policy and regulatory framework.
 Absence of collaboration among the agencies.
 Lack of transparency in service delivery.
 No feedback system for the users.
 No scope of SMS alert system for users.

14. Definition of Key Concepts
 Union Digital Canters (UDC):
 Union Digital Centres (UDCs) are one-stop shops
serving for rural citizens.
 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the
Union Information and Service Centres in 4,501
unions across the country on 11, November 2010.
 UDC is a technology based information service
points at union parishad levels.
 It have created some 13,372 entrepreneurs
across the country within a decade.
 Currently, there are 6,686 digital centres all over
the country and providing 270 types of services
per month from these centres.

15. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue…)
 Services of Union Digital Canters (UDC):
The following services and information provided through UDC such as:

16. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue…)
Service Partners of Union Digital Canters
(UDC):
a. Public and private banks (Dutch Bangla,
Mercantile, Trust, etc.)
b. Life insurance companies (state-owned
JibonBima)
c. Telecommunication companies (Robi,
Banglalink)
d. Non-government organizations (British
Council, Ankur, Practical Action)
e. Government agencies (Cabinet Division,
Bangladesh Computer Council)
f. Solar energy (Infrastructure Development
Company Limited)
g. Cyber Cafe Owner’s Association of

17. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue…)
 Management of Union Digital Canters
(UDC):
a. Selecting of local entrepreneurs by consulting with
UNO.
b. Buying of different equipments of UDC.
c. Selecting rate of charges for different services
provided by UDC.
d. Assisting in maintaining different income and
expenditure reports.
e. Holding at least a meeting in each month to review
UDC activities.
f. Providing all necessary assistance to the UDC
entrepreneurs.
g. Motivating mass people for taking services from
UDC.

18. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue..)
 E-Governance:
 E-Governance can be defined as the application of
communication and IT for providing government
services, exchange of information, transactions,
integration of previously existing services and
information portals.
 The basic purpose of e-governance is to simplify
processes for all, i.e. government, citizens,
businesses, etc. at National, State and local levels.
 The basic purpose of e-governance is to simplify
processes for all, i.e. government, citizens,
businesses, etc. at National, State and local levels.
 To promote good governance. It connotes the
implementation of ICT in the government processes
and functions so as to ensure accountable and
transparent governance.

19. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue..)
Domains of E-governance:
E-governance is considered as an one-stop
Internet gateway to the government services
towards citizens. There are three core domains
of e-governance:
 E-administration: enhancing government
processes.
 E-services: linking citizens with the
government.
 E-society: building relations with and within
the society.

20. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue..)
 a2i:
 a2i is the key driver of the government’s public
service innovation agenda.
 Access to Information (a2i) Program is set to
formally launch a digital payment platform with a
view to bringing all utility bill payment services under
a single window to materialize the government's
vision of 'Digital Bangladesh'.
 Innovative initiatives of a2i services are:
a. Digital Centre in 2014
b. Jatiya Tathya Batayan in 2015
c. Service Providing Facility (SPS) in 2016
d. Department of Environment's Online Clearance
e. Multimedia Talking Book-2017
f. Use of Social Media in Citizen Service Innovation.

21. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue..)
 Digital Bangladesh
 The concept of digitalization was moving around the year
in 2015 with its mother platform of Access to
Information(a2i) programme under Prime Minister's office
in Bangladesh.
 It is an Idea that includes the IT use for management,
administration and governance to ensure transparency,
accountability and answerability.
 The nation now, with over 12 crore mobile subscribers
and 4.3 crore Internet subscribers, enjoys the fruits of
digitisation.
 Setting up of nearly six thousand UDCs are a great boost
for Digital Bangladesh, especially for rural areas.
 The ultimate objective is to make more and more services
available at the doorsteps of the people with increased

22. Definition of Key Concepts (Continue..)
 Public Service Delivery:
a. It is the mechanism through which public services
are delivered to the public by local, municipal, or
central governments.
b. Services provided by government to its citizens,
either directly (through the public sector) or by
financing private provision of services.
c. It is a critical issue for the government to deliver
their services and make sure that the services are
provided effectively, efficiently, equitably, and
transparently.
d. With the help of ICT, it has dramatically cut down the
time, cost, and several visits required to access
services while hacking away at bureaucracy and

23. Research Method
The data was collected with the help of following
two sources:
 Primary Data: Primary data was collected
through,
 Questionnaire: Semi-structured, open-ended
Questionnaire will be prepared for government
officers, employees & citizens.
 Key Informant Interview (KII): The interview
deals with understand the views of officers and
entrepreneurs in details.
 Survey: Survey method will help to overview the
e-governance working system, participation of
officials, employees and citizens in effective
implementation of the system.

24. Research Method (Continue….)
 Secondary Data: Secondary data was collected
through:
 Encyclopedia: Encyclopedia will use to know the
terminology uses in e-governance.
 Reference Books, Journals & Newspapers: Various
e-governance, e-communication, use of e-
governance, UDCs etc. related books will be use.
 World Wide Web: World Wide Web will be used for
understanding the government policies in global
perspectives.
 Government Diaries & Reports: To understand the
government strategies for implementation of
e-governance.

25. Research/ Study Area
Out of 492 Upazilas of Bangladesh 12 UPs
under 6 Upazilas have been selected
purposively within the Rajshahi, Kushtia and
Cumilla districts respectively.
The study areas are chosen/ finalize on the
basis service delivery and available use of
modern technology.
A total of 300 (three hundred) respondents
would be chosen from the three strata on
the basis of purposive sampling.

26. Research/ Study Area (Continue…)
Name of District Name of Upazila Name of Union
Parishod
Categories of
Respondents
No. of
Respondents
Rasjhahi District
Paba Hariyan
and
Bara Gachi
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Charghat Bausha
and
Arani
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Kustia District
Mirpur Amla
and
Poradha
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Kumarkhali Shilaidha
and
Panti
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Cumilla District
Cumilla Sadar
South
Bijoypur
and
Chauara
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Chandina Madhaiya
and
Bataghasi
Monitoring Officials 8
Entrepreneurs 2
Beneficiaries 40
Total= Three Hundred Respondents from Three District, Six Upazilas and
Twelve Unions
300

27. Sample and Sampling
Sampling is the statistical process of
selecting a subset (called a “sample”) of a
population.
It is difficult study entire populations because
of feasibility and cost constraints, that’s why
selected a representative sample from the
population.
A total 300 (three hundred) respondents will
be selected from three strata on the basis of
purposive sampling.
Within the total respondents 48 are from
class one officers, 12 are from
entrepreneurs and 240 are from the service

28. Research Design and Its Components

29. Theoretical Framework
Ekins (1992) presented a 'Four-Capital Model,' which
linked manufactured, human, social, and natural capital
to the manufacturing process and the supply of human
well-being.

30. Analytical framework
The Four Capital Model of Sustainability is employed in this study. It
appears to be a valuable method for analyzing the sustainability of
UDCs in providing services. It may also show where management
authorities should use their skills and knowledge to make UDCs
more sustainable in their area of interest.

31. Data Analysis Procedure
a. The data will be collected from both primary
and secondary sources.
b. After processing, the collected data will be
analysed and interpreted by using some
statistical tools and techniques.
c. The collected data will be categorized,
tabulated, analysed by using SPSS
(Statistical Packages for the social Sciences)
method.
d. It has also been used MS-Word, Excel for the
purpose of analysing the data.

32. Requirements of Effective
E-Governance Through UDCc
A well-organized implementing method of
e-governance features and lot of efforts are
required in the perfect plan.
a. Using communication networks.
b. To increase the government agencies
efficient and effective.
c. To improve the responsibility about
customers need.
d. Replacing current methods and processes
with simple and efficient ones.

33. Limitation of the Study
There are many considerations and
potential implications of implementing and
designing e-government as follows:
 Risk of breaching of privacy and
frightening.
 Expensive.
 Inaccessibility for the people in the
countryside and illiterates.
 False sense of transparency and
accountability (in some cases).

34. Organization of the Research
 The dissertation has been divided into five chapters. These are
follows:
 Chapter One-Introduction: The first chapter will include the
research objectives, research questions, scope of the research,
limitations etc.
 Chapter Two-Review of Literature: This chapter will focus on
the conceptual overview of UDC and E-government.
 Chapter Three-Research Methodology: This chapter will
include the methods, tools and techniques of data collection,
source of data, data Processing and data analysis etc.
 Chapter Four-Research Findings and Discussion: This
chapter will analyze the data and variables.
 Chapter Five-Conclusion and Recommendation: The
concluding chapter will highlight some suggestion as
recommendation for the better e-service delivery through UDC
on the basis of field data and observation for the further

35. Conclusion
i. Present government has given important
emphasis on ICTs in all the government activities.
ii. UDC might be a trump card for the government in
accomplishing the aim of 'Digital Bangladesh.'
iii. ICT has emerged as the most successful and
effective strategic intervention for empowering the
citizens.
iv. UDC has reduced the gap between previously
manual activities with the digital services (Biswas
& Roy, 2020).
v. Rural citizens are receiving faster services and
being empowered with important livelihood
information such as agriculture, health, education,
land and employment opportunities (Das, 2019).
vi. There are some existing problems and if it will be
solved efficiently, the UDC may undoubtedly bring
the transformation in rural life.