DHAKA, Jan 29, 2024 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury today said the latest smart technology will be used in public service deliveries to make his ministry a people-friendly one.

Institutional memory, capacity building of officials, key performance indicators for their evaluation and project implementation dashboard technology will be used to increase the capacity of the ministry, he said.

 "The environmental clearance certification process will be completely smart and software based. To make the ministry smart, work will be done in coordination with the Ministry of ICT," the environment minister told a view-exchange meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

The meeting was held with the officials of the ICT Division, led by Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, to turn the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change into a smart one.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the ICT Division will work together to improve the quality of public services provided by the Ministry of Environment.

Maximum efforts will be made in the digitalisation of the Ministry of Environment and international cooperation will be welcome if necessary, he said.

 In this case, he said, a2i will act as a knowledge partner.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of Information and Communication Technology Division Md. Samsul Arefin, Additional Secretary (Development) of the environment ministry Dr Fahmida Khanom, director general of the Department of Environment Dr Abdul Hamid, Policy Advisor of A2I Project Anir Chowdhury and officials of the Ministry of Environment's ICT Section along with senior officials of the two ministries were present at the meeting.

The meeting discussed increasing coordination and cooperation between the two ministries.