ICT Policies and their Role in Governance: The Case of Bangladesh

Though the race toward introducing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government machinery experienced a bumpy ride in its initial years, Bangladesh has taken a firm stance in favour of ICT since late 1996. During the last one and a half decades, Bangladesh has attained some major achievements in the ICT sector along with the adoption of the vision of establishing full-fledged ICT-driven governance, that is, Digital Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh’s performance in the global e-government index is not a satisfying one. This is to say that it shows a gap between initiatives and reality. This paper, therefore, explores the aptness of ICT frameworks comprised with legal, institutional and infrastructural components in establishing ICT-driven governance in Bangladesh. The arcticle is a study of the impact of the frameworks on sampled e-governance initiatives along with challenges. This artcile concludes that the ICT endeavours require more close supervision and effective coordination across the agencies to establish full-fledged ICT-driven governance in Bangladesh.