E-Government and Transformation of Governance and Service Delivery in Bangladesh: A Developing Country Perspective

As elsewhere around the world, lately e-government has become a major component of governmental policy in Bangladesh. It has received a particular push with the launch of 'Digital Bangladesh'. The twin pillars of the campaign - 'connecting citizens' and 'offering services to their doorsteps' - are considered key to fighting poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. While enthusiasm for e-government is widespread and a variety of programs are currently underway that offer endless opportunities for the future, in a developing country like Bangladesh road to e-government is not without pitfalls and challenges. This paper sheds lights on the trajectory of e-government in Bangladesh with a particular focus on its current status and future goals. More specifically, it seeks to highlight some innovative e-government schemes and their impacts on service delivery processes and mode of interactions between government and citizens. The paper focuses on some key constraints that undermine and frustrate governmental drives for realizing the vision of Digital Bangladesh. It also comments on their policy implications.