USAGES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN AN EXPANDING URBAN COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY ON SONADANGA RESIDENTIAL AREA OF KHULNA CITY
Abstract
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can
play a key role in development and poverty reduction. ICTs can help promote
economic growth, expand economic and social opportunity, make institutions and
markets more efficient and responsive, and make it easier for the poor to
obtain access to resources and services. In fact nearly all areas of life in
the cities are affected by ICT, for example administrational and political
processes, business workflows and short and long distance communication between
people. The effects of these developments are often not clear from the
beginning. Technical products that were thought to revolutionize communication
and processes turned out to be economical flops, in other cases exactly the
opposite happened. The same applies to the field of urban development. The
question if ICT leads either to a more or less far-reaching transformation or
to reinforcement of existing structures is a general question that concerns
nearly all areas where ICT has effects
The study is based on primary and secondary data
collected from the study area by household and office/institution survey. Systematic random sampling method has been
applied for sampling the households and all the offices and institutions have
been taken as sample. All the collected data were classified through tabular
form according to the objectives. Data after editing were processed and
analyzed to expose expected findings. Collected data were processed, analyzed
and presented with the help of computer softwares. Processed data were used and
analyzed in the report in the form of table ad graphs. After necessary
correction and modification as suggested by the supervisor, a final thesis
report has been prepared.
To analyze the consequences one has always to regard
a combination of the character of Information and Communication Technologies,
their potential spatial effects and the strategies of different local or
regional actors. This makes clear statements even more difficult but it is
necessary because often single aspects of ICT and spatial development are
treated but decisive connections and links are ignored. IT status of Bangladesh
in terms of generation of information, its utilization and applications is
poor. The insufficiency of resource, shortage of research facilities, and
scarcity of skilled manpower, in adequacy of skill development infrastructure,
absence of social awareness and absence of coordination among various IT
players are the major impediments to obtain desired growth in this field. The
present study tries to find out the contemporary ICTs used in Khulna City
Now a days ICTs have been entered into the people of
the study area as well as all other parts of the world. But the integration of
ICTs is not satisfactory. This study finds that there is a serious digital gap
as well as other developing countries. That gap has been created by income,
expenditure, education, sex and computer literacy. People are developing their
economic condition using ICTs. ICTs have made their lives easy. The various
benefits of ICTs are influencing their everyday lives very much. But it is also
true that some problems are created for using ICTs. Urban planners will have to
consider the ICTs technology and the proper placement of various ICTs’ setup so
that every person can get the benefits of ICTs.
Background of the study
Since the
use of information and communication Technologies increases and changes
rapidly, often accelerated by technical innovations and new product
generations, researchers analyze the consequences on urban and social
development. Generally spoken ICTs are a kind of trend amplifier. They can
effect existing or aimed developments in different directions because they are
tools that can help actors to reach their objectives if they know how to use
them but they can also lead to unintended changes. It has to be clear that the
use of technology must not become an end it itself and there must be an
awareness of the opportunities and risks of ICTs.
There are
many points of contact between ICT and urban development on different levels.
On the one hand cities and regions are always affected by external developments
such as the internationalization of economic structures that is strongly driven
by the use of ICT. In this field the debate if ICT leads to a more balanced
spatial development or to proceeding concentration in the existing
agglomeration areas is continuing. On the other hand the different actors in a
city or region make use of new technologies themselves which leads to new forms
of communication behaviors and new lifestyles.
In fact life
in the cities is affected by ICT, for example administration and political
processes, business workflows and short and long distance communication between
people. The effects of these developments are often not clear from the
beginning. Technical products that were thought to revolutionize communication
and processes turned out to be economical flops, in other cases exactly the
opposite happened. The same applies to the field of urban development. The
question if ICT leads either to a more or less far-reaching transformation or
to reinforcement of existing structures is a general question that concerns
nearly all areas where ICT has effects.
For example:
People can work where they want, at home, in a train, a public park or in the
office. They can shop in the city centre, the mall or at home. Firms can settle
down at any place and communicate and interact by electronic means with their
satellite offices in the modern Cities. These possibilities will definitely
have effects but the direction of the development is still uncertain. ICT
surely have the power to change trends in spatial development but in the end
they are usually just one factor among others.
To analyze
the consequences one has always to regard a combination of the character of
Information and Communication Technologies, their potential spatial effects and
the strategies of different local or regional actors. This makes clear
statements even more difficult but it is necessary because often single aspects
of ICT and spatial development are treated but decisive connections and links
are ignored.
During the
last decade ICT entered our daily social and economic life in a very fast way
and sometimes we already ask ourselves how people lived in the “ancient times”
without cellular phones, the internet and so on. These technologies have for
instance particularly influenced the communication habits and the working
conditions of many people and this is probably just the beginning because they
are still new technologies and the end of technological innovation is not yet
foreseeable.
ICT status
of Bangladesh
in terms of generation of information, its utilization and application is poor.
The insufficiency of resource, shortage of research facilities and scarcity of
skilled manpower, in adequacy of skill development infrastructure, absence of
social awareness and absence of coordination among various ICT players are the
major impediments to obtain desired growth in this field.
Internet
service in Bangladesh
is initially introduced in the private sector, later in public sector has also
come into operation in this service. The most essential Technical instrument of
Internet is VSAT. But Bangladesh
has no Satellite. Privately running ISPs provide VSAT connectivity mostly via
Hong Kong and Singapore .
But the influences of ICTs have already changing the life style and everyday
lives throw economical and social development.
The study emphasizes on the developed areas, which
use ICTs. Different offices and developed residential areas are those fields of
study. The study area (Sonadanga Residential Area, Ward No 18) is an expanding
area of Khulna City
which has so many features different from other places of Khulna City Khulna City
Of course
there are many more fields of action but this short list already shoes that
there are several possibilities for the study area as well as Khulna to play an active role in development
on the way to ICTs. Cities as like as Khulna
are in several ways affected by the changes induced by ICT but they also get
new tools to fulfill their tasks according the ways as follows:
- Gaining and transmitting knowledge on the effects of ICT,
- Using ICT to improve the services,
- Spreading information on political and administrational work,
- Giving people a share in defining objectives,
- Supporting groups of civil society,
- Building up networks with other cities and regions,
- Offering education especially for fringe groups to reduce the
“Digital Gap” and
- Providing technology transfer to local business.
1.2 Objectives
¨
To know the contemporary Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) used in the study area.
¨
To access the benefits of ICTs.
¨
To analyze the problems for using ICTs.
¨
Provide recommendations on the basis of outlined
problems.
1.3 Some Operational definitions
þ
Information and Communication Technology (
ICT )
ICTs include technologies and tools or instruments that can be used for
storing, managing, communicating and sharing information. These tools can be
either manual or computerized (digital). ICTs not only include hardware, i.e.
PCs, radios and other wireless devices, telecommunications towers, and
connections and other physical components. They also comprise software and
software systems including management information systems (MIS), as well as
management methods and practices. Most importantly, they include the
applications that add value and justify the use and investment in ICTs.
(National Human Development Reports, January 2003, UNDP)
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) encompasses the
broad fields of data/information processing and communications by means of
computer and telecommunication techniques and tools are being increasingly used
for organizational/personal information processing in all sectors of economy
and society. (National ICT Policy, Ministry of Science and Information &
Communication Technology, 2002)
This study follows the definition of National ICT policy of Bangladesh because the study and the study
objectives are based on Bangladesh .
þ
Internet
Service Provider
Those organizations who provide internet services to the subscribers ;
store all necessary information of the users, other providers, World Wide Wave
etc. ; provide security and maintain the web sites of their clients.
þ
Cell
Phone / Mobile phone
Mobile communication networks are divided into geographic
areas called cells, each served by a base station. Mobile phones are the user’s
link to the network. The system is planned to ensure that mobile phones
maintain the link with the network as users move from one cell to another. To
communicate with each other, mobile phones and base stations exchange radio
signals. The level of these signals is carefully optimized for the network to
perform satisfactorily. They are also closely regulated to prevent interference
with other radio systems used, for example, by emergency services, taxis as
well as radio and television broadcasters.
þ
Fixed
Phone / Land phone
Fixed phones are the user’s link to the network those are
connected by a wire. The system is planned to ensure that fixed phones maintain
the link with the network as users can not move from one place to another. To
communicate with each other, fixed phones and phone exchanges exchange optical
signals. The level of these signals is carefully optimized for the network to
perform satisfactorily. They are also closely regulated to prevent interference
with other radio systems or optical systems used, for example, by emergency
services, taxis as well as radio and television broadcasters.
1.4 Limitations of the study
¨
There
is no secondary information about ICTs in the study area, which could have been
handy for this study. So, the study has depended on the primary field survey.
To conduct primary survey for this study was really a tough one and some times
it created unexpected problems.
¨
According
to the definition of ICTs of UNDP there are too many components of ICTs. But
the National ICT Policy of Bangladesh has discussed on Computer, Internet, Cell
Phone and Fixed Phone as ICT components. To analyze so many components is also
tough in a shorter period of time. So this study has been analyzed and
conducted on Internet, cell phone and land phone technologies only.
¨
The more
detailed information about the study has not been properly collected for the
lack of money constraints and limitations of the study time. No analysis about
the cell or fixed phone providers is conducted.
1.5 Review of Literature
Literature
on “Usages of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in an
expanding urban community: A case study on Sonadanga Residential Area of Khulna
City” is very limited at present. It
was necessary to grow up a wide concept of the different issues that was very much
relevant with the present research topic. So far no worthy work has been done
particularly in this field. However, an attempt has been made here to review
relevant research papers, different books, unpublished thesis, articles of
journals, seminar papers, study reports, web site publications, news papers
which focus on the issue related to the research topic on the basis of the
secondary sources the concept of the research has been developed.
v The “National ICT Policy” of Bangladesh is the main source of the definition
of ICTs in Bangladesh
and Bangladeshi perspective. This paper has discussed about ICTs, ICTs’
components, the objectives of developing and adopting ICTs, E-Commerce,
E-Government and the directions of ICT based development. This paper has fixed
a time period to adopt ICTs in every level as well as the government
offices. The paper has discussed about
the implementation authorities of ICTs in different levels. Bangladesh Computer Council has been focused
as the main organization to coordinate.
The paper has discussed on Computer, Internet, Cell Phone, and Fixed
Phone as the ICTs’ components. There is a guideline for the different
authorities too to implement and fulfill the objectives.
v The Journal “IT for good Governance”
has three articles which are relevant with this study. In the article “ICTs
for Urban Utility Services” Engr. Faruk Bhuiyan discusses about the
essential urban facilities and how the ICTs can easier those facilities. He has
discussed about It Scenario in Bangladesh, IT based Public Grievance, Land
Records, Health Care, Education, Legislation, Payment of Utility Bills, Law and
Order, Post Offices, City Corporation and Municipalities, On Line Payment of
taxes and Levies, Requirement of Personnel, Policy Documents, Government
portal, Centre for E-Governance, Cyber law and Digital Signature.
In
the same Journal Dr. Md. Golam Mohiuddin and Shariar Manzoor have discussed
about the present IT based development sectors in their article “IT-Industries
in Bangladesh
Prof
Dr M Abdus Sobhan has discussed on “IT for Poverty Alleviation”. In his article he has shown how IT can
alleviate the Urban Poverty generating income.
Engr.
S.M. Kabiruzzaman and Engr. A.H.M. Shafiqul Islam have shown about the role of
Telecommunication in Good Governance in their article “IT for Good
Governance and Telecommunication Sector in Bangladesh
v
W. J. Haynine, III and Richard E. Peterson have
given the definition of the Technology and Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) in their book “The Technology of Communication” .
The prospects and possibilities of ICTs are broadly discussed in this book.
v
“Introduction to Information System,
Essentials for the Internet worked E-Bunnies Enterprises” In this book the
writer James A. Brien has discussed on the ICTs in business development. This
book has shown so many figures that how ICTs can change a society throw
business development.
v
James F. Fales and Vincent F. Fuetemeyer have
discussed about the past present and future of Technology in their book “Technology:
Today and tomorrow”. Different types of technology including ICTs are
discussed in this book.
v Information
and Communications Technologies and Development: is an Internet Report focusing on developing countries
in ICT sector and development. This report discusses how the ICTs can be
implementing in different development programs in developing countries. The
Development Management system throw ICTs is broadly discussed in this paper.
v
Information and Communications Technologies
and Development: Help or Hindrance? Is an internet report on ICTs and
Development of www.Curtain-Consulting.net.au. This article contains the
multidimensional aspects of ICTs in development field. The writer has shown how
ICTs can be a trend amplifier for urban development.
v
The impact of information and communication
technology on urban and regional planning is a journal of Helsinki
University of Technology. It focuses ICTs as a real estate business
perspectives and the writer has shown the global scenarios of urban development
through ICTs. The relationships, problems and prospects of ICTs are well
defined in this journal.
1.6 Thesis outline
Chapter one mainly contains general description
of this research work, background of the study, objectives, literature review,
limitations of the study, some operational definitions etc.
Chapter two contains detail working
procedure or methodology. This chapter has discusses about the steps of the
research work including conceptualization, questionnaire preparation, survey
etc.
Chapter three contains the trend of
worldwide ICTs using including developed countries, developing countries,
Bangladesh etc.
Chapter four has discussed about the
necessary information of the study area such as demographic condition, area, education,
economic condition etc.
Chapter five contains the analysis of
contemporary ICTs used in the study rea which is the first objective. Here the
contemporary ICTs’ components and their various usages have been discussed.
Chapter six analyzes the benefits of using
ICTs. The various purposes and how the people are benefited have been shown
here. Why the people are using computers, internet, cell phones and fixed
phones in their everyday life have been discussed.
Chapter seven consists on the problems for
using ICTs with the main four components which represents the third objective.
Chapter eight is Recommendation and
Conclusion. Here the recommendations of the outlined problems and some
necessary recommendations have been given.
Appendices contain the three questionnaires
and the National ICT Policy of Bangladesh.
Problems for using
ICTs
ICT have
some specific features that describe their Character and already indicate the
problems when we try to evaluate or even predict their effects. ICT have no clear consequences – the way of
use is decisive Of course no technology is bad or good itself, it’s
always the way people use it. The same applies to ICT. It’s not really the
responsibility of the mobile phone that gets on your nerves when it rings in
the cinema – it’s the person sitting next to you who is not able or willing to
turn it off.
Direct Effects of ICTs are rare. Apart from the mobile phones that cause anger immediately the effects of
ICT are usually complex and indirect. They work by affecting socio-economic
connections and that makes it for example difficult to isolate spatial effects
of ICT.
Every technology
has some problems. The major problems
faced by the study area are as follows:
7.1 Problems for using Computer
Though computer
has so many good effects some bad effects are also present for getting the
services from computer. As an ICT component computer has some disadvantages
according to the respondents of the study area.
þ
21 % computer user faces the technical problems
such as Operating system corruption, hang, computer viruses, hardware problems
etc.
þ
16% parents think that so much computer using
causes harm for their children. Their children engage in computer gaming all
time and their academic results are affected.
þ
The
backdated computers are not used mainly in the Government offices. They are to
do their daily duties manually.
7.2 Problems for using Internet
þ
Internet charge is too much. It is monthly 1500
Taka for one connection. 90% Internet users think it is not fair because
Internet is such a media where they can get information any time they need.
þ
All respondents who use Internet have the
experience of using internet in a very low speed. Though the providers express
the data transfer speed as 32/64 KBPS the end user get very low data transfer
rate.
þ
10% parents think that so much Internet using
causes harm for their children. Their children engage in Internet all time and
their academic results are affected.
þ
30% People think that some websites are
decreasing human character showing nude and destructive movies.
7.3 Problems for using Fixed Phones
þ
Sometimes BTTB authority gives unexpected phone
bills. 19% of the respondents have such this experience in several times.
þ
Sometimes the exact dialing number can not be
lined. Another phone user receives the call.
þ
The service quality of BTTB stuffs is not good
at all. 20% of the people have bad experience about them. Their service is not
as faster as the private Mobile operators.
þ
BTTB call rates are not adjusted with the
present mobile phone call rates. So people are interested to use mobile.
7.4 Problems for using Cell Phones
þ 80%
respondent thinks that the call rate of Mobile phone is too high. The call rate
can be adjusted according to the high demand and high income of the operators.
þ 41%
people think that they are to face the problems of missed calls very much.
þ Sometimes
the networks are disturbed and no connection can be possible.
þ 79%
respondents think that some mobile operator has no strong network. Their
subscriber is more than their network capacity. So during the vacations,
festivals such as EID and in emergency need the network remains overloaded.
þ Sometimes the special offers are not activated
by the operators. So people have to lose their balance.
þ Peak of Peak
þ Incoming
call charge is a great problem. Now there are four operators in Khulna . They all charge
the BTTB incoming call.
Recommendations
A major consequence of late modernity is the
increasing intercalation and accumulation of information. The United Nations
has recognized this by holding a World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva in 2003 (see World
Summit, 2005). In this informationally based global order, new sources of
inequality are developing. Access to the generation, distribution and
consumption of information becomes a crucial component of the economy, politics
and culture. The new technologies of information have not only exponentially
increased their capacities but have also the potential to share and distribute
information at very low costs. A world of almost unlimited information
accessible to most people is technically within reach but its utopian
possibilities remain unfulfilled. Like all other technologies, social and
political factors eventually determine their relevance and effectiveness. The
United Nations has accepted the crucial role of information technology but it
is still unable to suggest political solutions for its employment towards
attaining a more equitable, stable and prosperous world.
A new paradigm of global society is evolving that is
based on networking in pursuit of common interests and on the emergence of
non-hierarchical, multilateral, and multi-stakeholder approaches. ICTs are the
nerve system of this new paradigm. They are used to link the external
environment and the functioning of internal systems, to transfer impulses for
action and to provide feedback. The recent WSIS declared the need to build a
people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society. However, at present the full potential of ICT
in servicing and driving the new paradigm is far from being adequately
harnessed. It needs to be utilized much more efficiently and fully to promote
development. The ICT Task Force, by creating a worldwide network of stakeholders
in ICT for development, is well positioned to contribute to making the new
global paradigm work for development.
The National ICT Policy of
Bangladesh has so many nice objectives. If those objectives can be implemented Bangladesh
v Urban planners should provide
specific place during planning for setting up cell phone towers so that all of
the inhabitants of the community can get the network easily.
v In
spite of the general neglect of the social use of wireless communications
systems, urban planners and architects have only addressed these new
technologies on a makeup level, such as the design and placement of the
increasing number of antenna towers needed to support the growth in network
usage. These technologies have penetrated more deeply in social and business
networks than anywhere else.
v Necessary
service centers should be provided nearer to a community so that the people can
get services within a very shorter period of time when they face any problems
for
v using
ICTs. But urban planners should provide those places carefully because those
centers may create another problem for a residential area.
v Different
offices, NGOs, schools, institutions especially the government offices can use
ICTs very soon. Thus a very few spaces will be enough and the extra spaces can
be used for another purposes. It can reduce the office expenditure too. Such as
the Divisional Museum ,
Khulna has a
very large set up for office maintenance but that is not necessary. Providing
ICT based management system the spaces can be saved and that spaces can be used
as auditorium which can earn money for the museum. Thus the museum can reduce
the dependencies on government.
v The
ICT based management can be helpful for controlling crime. Such as Sonadanga
Thana (Police Station) is situated in Sonadanga. If the thana
is managed by ICT the people can easily help the police supplying
necessary information rapidly.
v To ensures promote and facilitate
use of ICT in all sectors of the economy for transparency, good governance and
efficiency improvement.
v Developing a large pool of world
class ICT professionals to meet the needs of local and global markets is
necessary.
v All students of Bangladesh should be learnt using
computer system. Thus the students of Bangladesh will be more scientific.
v Provide effective incentives for
development of ICT sector to both local and foreign entrepreneurs.
v Develop an efficient ICT
infrastructure that provides open access to international and national
networks.
v Establish legislative and regulatory
framework for ICT issues like VOP, data security and protection, digital
signature, e-Commerce, ICT education etc. as well as to ensure quality ICT
education provided by different private organizations.
v Set up national databases that are
reliable and easily accessible to all the people of the country.
v Set up an ICT organization at the
highest level to continuously promote and foster ICT Industry.
v Updating ICTs knowledge and
components regularly.
v Controlling cell phone tariffs a
reasonable tariff should be provided by the mobile phone operators.
v Rules and regulations should be
formulated for using cell phone, fixed phone and internet using so that no one
can disturb another subscriber.
v The harmful websites should be
controlled using powerful software so that those can not be viewed to the young
and other people.
v Cyber crime investigation unit
should be formed to investigate the cyber crime. Here some specialist should be
appointed. They will investigate and find out the criminal for not only
internet but also mobile.
Conclusion
The findings and arguments represented and referred
to above justify the conclusion that ICT, as the main driving force of the
development of the information / knowledge / network society, should be taken
into account in urban and regional planning as a new aspect. From the planning
point of view the situation is also good because the spatial impact caused by
ICT- applications in real life is still slight. People and organizations have
not yet recognized all possible ways to benefit from new and continuously
evolving opportunities.
Urban
Planners are to work with different urban affairs. ICT has already entered into
urban life and is influencing the urban people very much. Urban Planner should
consider these during planning. An ICT based office or institutions can take a
very few spaces. So they are to design a commercial or residential area
considering these because land is limited. Best use of limited land is
expected.
Information
and communication technologies (ICTs) can play a key role in development and
poverty reduction. ICTs can help promote economic growth, expand economic and
social opportunity, make institutions and markets more efficient and
responsive, and make it easier for the poor to obtain access to resources and
services. It can also make it easier to make the voices of the poor heard in
the decisions that shape their lives. But ICTs can only become an effective
tool for development and poverty reduction if they are an integral part of a
broader, more comprehensive national development strategy. The donor community
can help developing countries realize the full potential of ICTs for development,
but only if their own ICT programs and strategies are more clearly focused on
the Millennium Development Goals. Donor agencies need to ensure that their ICT
programs and strategies are better adapted to the specific needs and
circumstances of individual developing countries and to become better informed
through more information sharing and more rigorous analysis of recent
experience of ICT-for-development programs.
Sonadanga
Residential Area is a very small part of Bangladesh . The figure of this area
is not the figure of Bangladesh .
This study shows the Usages of ICTs for an elite class of people. The resources of Bangladesh are very limited. Only
well planned utilization of this resources can develop this country. Bangladesh
has a potential new generation. They can be used for ICTs related development.
All should try to improve their lives using ICTs of taking the help of ICTs.
Thus Bangladesh
can be developed.
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