Rebuilding the Republic in Digital Age

Rebuilding a republic is much bigger than rebuilding roads, bridges, institutions or the economy. At its core, it means rebuilding the relationship between the citizen and the state. Technology can play a significant role in this process. But technology should not be seen merely as a tool for digitising existing government services. Used properly, it can make the state more transparent, accountable, accessible and responsive. Bangladesh has already demonstrated what technology can achieve.

Take public procurement. The introduction of Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) was not simply a technological upgrade. It changed the way government procurement could be conducted. According to the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority, the system surpassed the 10 lakh-tender milestone by November 2025, with the cumulative tender value exceeding Tk 10 lakh crore. The authority also reports that competition per tender has increased significantly and the average time from tender invitation to contract signing has fallen substantially compared with the pre-e-GP period.

This is an important lesson. When technology creates a digital record, widens access and reduces unnecessary human intervention, it can make a system more transparent. A businessman no longer has to depend entirely on personal connections to know about a tender. A procuring agency has a digital trail of its activities. The scope for discretion and manipulation can be reduced.

But e-GP also tells us something else. Digitisation alone is not enough. A corrupt or inefficient process does not automatically become efficient simply because it is placed online. Technology must be accompanied by institutional reform, accountability and enforcement.

The same transformation can be seen in financial services. Mobile financial services have changed the daily lives of millions of Bangladeshis. Sending money to a family member in a village, paying a utility bill, receiving a salary or making a small-business payment no longer necessarily requires a bank branch. Bangladesh Bank’s recent data show how rapidly the country’s digital payment infrastructure has expanded, while all bank branches had online banking capability by the end of 2025. 

This is more than convenience. It is financial inclusion. A rickshaw puller, garment worker, farmer or small trader can participate in a formal financial system through a mobile phone. Technology has brought some banking services closer to people who were previously far from conventional banking facilities. Yet our next challenge is to ensure that digital financial inclusion does not become digital exclusion. People who lack smartphones, digital literacy, reliable connectivity or confidence in digital transactions should not be left behind. Connectivity is therefore fundamental to rebuilding the republic.

Bangladesh’s internet subscriber base is now staggering. BTRC reported around 128.27 million internet subscribers in February 2026, with total internet penetration at 74.52 per cent in April 2026. But these numbers should not make us complacent. There is still a gulf between having an internet connection and having meaningful access to the digital economy. A student in Dhaka with a fast broadband connection, a laptop and a quiet place to study does not have the same digital opportunity as a student in a rural area who depends on an expensive mobile data connection. The next phase of Bangladesh’s digital journey should therefore focus on holistic connectivity: affordable, reliable and high-quality internet, combined with digital skills and access to useful services. 

The same principle applies to government. If a citizen needs a birth certificate, land document, license or government benefit, the objective should not simply be to create another website or mobile application. The citizen should be able to complete the service with minimum hassle, track the status of the application and receive a clear explanation if something goes wrong. In other words, the government should be designed around the citizen, not the citizen around the government.

This becomes even more important as artificial intelligence enters public life. Bangladesh is now working towards a National Artificial Intelligence Policy for 2026–2030, with the stated objective of developing a responsible, inclusive and innovation-driven AI framework. AI could help Bangladesh improve public services in many ways. It could help analyse large amounts of government data, identify irregularities in public spending, improve agricultural advice, assist teachers and students, support healthcare and make government services available in Bangla more effectively.

But AI also brings new risks. Deepfakes, automated misinformation, privacy violations and algorithmic discrimination can erode public trust. If citizens cannot tell real information from artificially generated content, democratic debate itself can be weakened. Therefore, the rebuilding of the republic must include not only digital transformation but also digital responsibility.

There is another area that deserves much greater attention: cybersecurity. As more government services, banks, businesses and citizens move online, the country’s digital infrastructure becomes part of its critical national infrastructure. A cyberattack on a government database, bank, power system or telecommunications network can cause damage far beyond the technology sector. Cybersecurity should therefore not be treated simply as an IT department’s responsibility. It is a national security, economic and governance issue.

Most importantly, Bangladesh needs continuity in technology policy, instead of going back to square one with every change of government. Digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, data protection, AI governance and technology education should not be reinvented whenever a new administration takes office. Political parties may have different visions, but the country’s basic digital infrastructure should remain a national asset.

The next challenge is also human. Bangladesh has a large pool of young people, but population alone does not create a technology economy. We need people who can solve problems, work with AI, build software, protect networks, analyse data and create new products and services. Our education system must therefore place greater emphasis on practical skills, critical thinking and creativity rather than depending too heavily on rote learning.

We often describe the journey as Digital Bangladesh. Perhaps the next stage should be something deeper: A Bangladesh where digital technology strengthens the relationship between citizens and institutions. The republic we want to rebuild should be one where a citizen does not need influence to obtain a basic service; where public money can be followed through transparent systems; where a rural student has access to the same digital opportunities as a student in Dhaka; where personal data is protected; and where technology is used to empower citizens rather than simply monitor them.