DHAKA, Dec 13, 2023 (BSS) - On the 1st anniversary of Smart Bangladesh, Bangladesh Computer Council Certifying Authority (BCC CA) has signed a contract with eShakkhor Limited, a sister concern of Fair Pattern Inc, over providing eSign Service.

ICT Division Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin was present at the deal signing ceremony as the chief guest at BCC conference room in the city's Agargaon area on Tuesday, said a press release here today. 

BCC Executive Director Ranajit Kumar, Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) ATM Ziaul Islam and In-charge (CA Operation and Security) of Bangladesh Computer Council Mohammad Mohidur Rahman Khan were present at the function as special guests.

Director of eShakkhor Limited Md Bazlul Huq was also present at the event, among others.

According to the release, BCC, as one of the licensed Certifying Authority in Bangladesh, is providing digital signature certificate to the government and private sector users.

As per the government's decision, BCC has introduced digital signature based eSign service for leveraging the implementation of paperless office, an important milestone of 'Smart Bangladesh'.

Adoption of digital signature technology can play a vital role in building smart government and smart economy.

According to the agreement, BCC will provide eSign Service to eShakkhor Limited to use it in one of their SaaS application developed for document and proposal management system with other numerous features. 

This momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh's journey towards becoming a 'Smart Nation' as this is the first time in Bangladesh that a contract agreement has been signed by the parties electronically using eSign platform of BCC CA.

Speaking on the occasion, ICT Division Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin said, "The signing of this contract marks a pivotal moment in our nation's digital transformation." 

The implementation of eSign will not only enhance efficiency and transparency in government and business operations but also empower citizens to participate more actively in the digital economy, he added. 
"By implementing eSign in different government services we can prevent many fraudulent activities that are possible with our current digital systems and hand written signatures," Arefin said.