Pledge for digital transformation: HSTU to be country’s first “cashless” campus

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said the Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) in Dinajpur would be the country's first 'cashless' campus.

The pledge for the digital transformation came at an interactive programme before a group of students on the university campus on Sunday.

Young Bangla, the youth secretariat of think-tank Centre for Research and Information (CRI), organised the event, titled 'Cashless Economy - Let's Talk'.

Conducted by Sahosh Mustafiz, the programme was addressed by parliamentary standing committee member Kazi Nabil Ahmed,e-commerce platform Amar Desh, Amar Gram co-founder Sadeka Hasan Sejuti and Bangladesh Freelancing Society chairperson Dr Tanziba Rahman.

Around 250 students took part in the event with many came up with a series of questions before this group of policymakers.

Referring to the digital shift across the country, Palak said Digital Bangladesh has transitioned from a concept to reality.

Bangladesh now sees herself as Smart Bangladesh and cashless economy is a stepping stone towards implementing that vision, he said.

"Under the directive of Prime Minister's ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, we built an interoperable digital transaction platform 'Binimoy' (exchange) to catalyze the growth of the country's economic growth," he said.

Reflecting on the remarkable portion of the young population of Bangladesh, Kazi Nabil said the country is now enjoying demographic dividend.

"Youths have to play a crucial role to reap its true benefit. People, in general, are the main driving force behind this cashless economy and inclusion. We are on the verge of a new era and we must embrace this era," he said.

Highlighting the digital transformation over the years, Sadeka Hasan Sejuti said there was no payment gateway in Bangladesh in 2008-09. With Digital Bangladesh being a reality, the nation is now endowed with a national payment gateway that accelerated the existing mobile banking system, she said.

She also stressed the need for including rural farmers in the process of digital transaction to wean them off cash-based transaction.

Freelancer and panelist Tanziba Rahman advocated for the shift towards digital transactions to save the money otherwise spent through the cash-out charge in mobile banking.