Bangladesh Computer Council


The Bangladesh Computer Council is a statutory government organization operating under the Information and Communication Technology Division of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology of the government of Bangladesh. Its headquarters are situated in Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was initially known as the National Computer Committee in 1983 and transformed into the Bangladesh Computer Council through Act No. 9 of the National Parliament in 1990.
Since its inception, the BCC has been an important advocate for the country's technological development, specifically in information and communications technology. In collaboration with government organizations in Bangladesh, this organization is responsible for developing national ICT plans, strategies, and policies, empowering Digital Bangladesh, implementing e-government, and collaborating with various government organizations and private sector partners. They also set ICT standards and specifications, develop ICT infrastructure, provide advice on IT technology utilization and security measures, identify issues related to national cyber security and cybercrimes, and investigate, remediate, prevent, and suppress these issues.
The BCC has undertaken numerous projects to improve the country's ICT infrastructure, such as BanglaGovNet, Info-Sarker Phases II and III, Connected Bangladesh, and others, many of which have already been completed. It has also significantly contributed to human resource development by providing training to thousands of individuals, including the disabled, transgender and third-gender communities, and women entrepreneurs.
The BCC has been organizing various competitions and events to promote information technology education in the country, including the National Children and Youth Programming Contest, the International Blockchain Olympiad, and the International Collegiate Programming Contest. These events provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to showcase their skills and passion for this field, advance the country's startup ecosystem, and increase computer programming's popularity among the younger generation. In 2022, the BCC organized the 45th Annual International Collegiate Programming Contest World Final in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The organization has received several awards and recognitions for its achievements in promoting ICT in Bangladesh, such as the WITSA award, WSIS Winner Prize, ASOCIO Digital Government Award, Open Group President Award, Public Administration Award 2017, etc.

History

The government of Bangladesh established the National Computer Committee in 1983. Nevertheless, the National Computer Board took over the role of the NCC in 1988. In 1989, the "Bangladesh Computer Council Ordinance" was put into effect. The following year, the National Parliament enacted Act No. 9, "Bangladesh Computer Council Act, 1990", which transformed the National Computer Board into a statutory body under the name "Bangladesh Computer Council". BCC continued to function under the President's Secretariat until 1991. In 1991, this organization was placed under the Ministry of Science and Technology, which later became the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology.
Over the years, the BCC has evolved and expanded its scope of activities to meet the growing demands of the ICT sector. In 2011, the BCC was placed under the newly created Information and Communication Technology Division of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology of the government of Bangladesh.

Objectives

The Bangladesh Computer Council operates with the following objectives to advance ICT in Bangladesh:
  • Setting and implementing national information technology policies, strategies, and plans for effective application and expansion of ICT in the country
  • Empower Digital Bangladesh.
  • Implement e-government.
  • Collaborate with the different government agencies and private sector partners to execute National ICT Plans.
  • Foster research and development in ICT.
  • ''Develop skilled human resources for IT-based industries.''

    Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the Bangladesh Computer Council include:
  1. Encouraging the use of ICT for social and economic development
  2. Developing the practical infrastructure for the use of computers in various sectors of the national economy and improving the quality of education, training, and professional standards related to computers
  3. Helping Bangladeshi citizens become competitive in the field of information technology
  4. Developing human resources and skills in computer technology and exporting these resources to the global market
  5. Formulating and implementing national ICT strategies and policies
  6. Cooperating with the government and other organizations in the use of ICT and providing them with advice
  7. Promoting the use of ICT in government and other organizations
  8. Providing advice on security measures for the use of ICT
  9. Building training centers, libraries, and laboratories for computer science, providing the necessary equipment, and maintaining them
  10. Collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information on ICT
  11. Publishing reports, projects, and periodicals on computer science and ICT
  12. Organizing discussions and workshops on computer science, ICT, and other related topics and conducting training on these topics
  13. Providing grants for research, education, and training in ICT
  14. Communicating and cooperating with all relevant government, private, domestic, and foreign organizations in the interest of achieving national goals in the field of ICT
  15. Negotiating and signing contracts with domestic and foreign organizations with the prior approval of the government as necessary for the performance of the BCC's functions
  16. Carrying out any special duties assigned by the government related to computer science
  17. Defining the standards and specifications of computer science and ICT
  18. Taking any necessary steps to perform the above-mentioned functions
These responsibilities encompass a wide range of initiatives and projects aimed at contributing to the development of the ICT sector in Bangladesh.

Organizational structure

The BCC has a robust organizational structure that allows it to handle its wide range of responsibilities and initiatives efficiently. The Executive Director is the highest-ranking official and is responsible for overseeing all operations of this organization. Under the Executive Director, there are three primary Divisions, each headed by a Member, and each of these divisions further consists of several subdivisions, each overseen by a Director. The Technical Division handles technical matters such as data center operations, Certifying Authority activities, Object Identifier operations, and government-level ICT support services. The Policy, Strategy, and Development Division is responsible for formulating and overseeing information technology policies, strategies, and development efforts. The Capacity Development and Human Resources Division is in charge of capacity building and human resource functions for the ICT sector.

Regional offices

BCC has established seven regional offices in different parts of the country, which collaborate with local governments and non-governmental organizations to develop and implement national information and technology policies, strategies, and plans. These offices also assist in the implementation of e-government initiatives at the local level. Furthermore, They provide ICT training, develop ICT curricula, and support human development by hosting workshops, seminars, and online practice and e-learning activities in their respective regions with the collaboration of the local ICT industry. Regional offices of this organization:
  • Rajshahi office
  • Chattogram office
  • Khulna office
  • Sylhet office
  • Barishal office
  • Faridpur office and
  • Rangpur office.

    BCC's Council Committee

The BCC's Council Committee is a group of 12 individuals from various government departments. The council is in charge of supervising and directing the council's operations. According to the information available, the members of the Council Committee are as follows:

CA operation and security

BCC's CA Operations and Security serves as the sole official Certifying Authority of the government of Bangladesh. Its duties entail overseeing CA operations, enforcing regulations, and managing Electronic Signatures and a secure repository of electronic signature certificates. This guarantees a reliable infrastructure for secure electronic transactions and communications in Bangladesh while providing secure digital certificates, web-based SSL certificates, PKI tools, and e-signatures to government organizations.

Network Operations Center

The National Network Operation Center was formed in 2014 to operate and maintain the e-government Network. It focuses on network security, planning, research and development, operation, upgrade, and maintenance of nationwide government networks. NOC provides internet, intranet, extranet, and government video conference networks for the President, Prime Minister, Ministries, Bangladesh Secretariat, and field administration. NOC provides consultation with other government organizations in preparing network standards and specifications. Currently, it is providing network operation and maintenance services in 18,834 government offices up to the upazila level. It also monitors the network connectivity of 2600 unions under the national priority project named ‘Info Sarker-3’.