The A2i authority of the country is turning Information and Communication Technology sector in an innovative manner for the country’s holistic development, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said on Monday.
The cabinet on Monday approved ‘Authority to Innovation (A2i) Law-2022’ to catalyse citizen-friendly public service innovations across the country.
The cabinet meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In his briefing after the cabinet meeting, the cabinet secretary said the new agency will be self-reliant in making their own budget so that they can run the agency on their own.
As a business entity of the government, the agency can hire its CEO from the market like any other business entities, he added.
The secretary also said the academic qualification of the CEO should be a PhD or Master’s degree from a reputed ICT department and that a government official with this degree may qualify.
The chairman of the Board of Directors will be the incumbent minister of the ICT division or ministry, he added.
The ICT agency will be earning more money than the government’s other agencies, Anwarul said.
It is not like a government owned autonomous body but it is a business oriented entity, he explained.
While responding to a reporter, he said the jobs that the A2i will do include developing innovative and knowledge based culture in the country.
Any project and programmes will be taken for development of the country under the existing laws.
The cabinet secretary said the agency will take special measures as the people of the country would cope with the advanced technology as fresh demand is created.
It will also assist people to carry out high level experiments for creating new technology and new tech-based products, he added.
The secretary said the new agency will provide assistance and services to local and foreign companies, as well.
The authority of the agency will be established in a way so that it could work as an international entity, he explained.
The income and expenditure of the innovative agency will be audited by the office of Comptroller of Auditor General, he added.
