CPD Study Finds Citizens Failing to Reap Full Benefits of Local Government E-Governance Initiatives

Citizens across Bangladesh are failing to reap the full benefits of e-governance within local government institutions despite the widespread adoption of digital platforms, according to a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The research findings were presented on Monday at a dialogue titled “Current State and Way Forward for Good Governance in Local Government Institutions,” held at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka. The study incorporated data from 297 local government offices and surveyed 2,611 citizens, including women, youth, and marginalized groups across the country’s eight administrative divisions.

According to CPD Research Fellow Tamim Ahmed and Research Associate Sabiha Sharmin, who presented the findings, only 31% of women reported receiving government services entirely online. Many applicants were still required to visit offices in person for document submission, manual signatures, or follow-ups. Among youth participants, 43% reported successfully obtaining services via online channels.

The research identified the Rangpur division as the most underdeveloped regarding digital service preparedness and public awareness. Conversely, women in Dhaka, Chittagong, and southern regions demonstrated higher levels of digital literacy. Women in the northern regions remain significantly behind, hampered by a lack of computers and broadband internet at the union parishad level, as well as pervasive concerns regarding data privacy and a general lack of trust in digital systems.

To improve digital adoption, the CPD report recommended full automation of government services, the appointment of ICT focal points in every department, and the strengthening of grievance redress mechanisms.

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CPD Distinguished Fellow Fahmida Khatun emphasized that for digital initiatives to succeed, they must be inclusive, extending to persons with disabilities, minorities, low-income families, and those with limited formal education. She advocated for the provision of services in local dialects alongside Bengali and suggested that digital platforms be made voice-enabled and accessible to people with disabilities. Khatun further stressed the need for transparency, calling for the public disclosure of budget allocations, project expenditures, and beneficiary lists.

Katharina Koenig, Deputy Team Leader of the Citizen Engagement Fund, noted that digitizing a service does not automatically make it citizen-friendly. She urged policymakers to identify and mitigate the specific barriers faced by marginalized populations during the design phase of digital services.

Other experts, including Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Senior Consultant Fazlul Zahid and IT specialist Aminul Mohaimen, underscored the importance of interoperability between government departments. They argued that consolidating data would prevent citizens from having to repeatedly submit the same documentation. Furthermore, speakers urged the government to prioritize cyber security, reliable infrastructure, and consistent inter-ministerial coordination to ensure that digital transitions lead to measurable improvements in governance.