​Background

​In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid development and adoption of digital technologies have reshaped how societies function, emphasizing the critical role of digital solutions in driving socio-economic growth and sustainability. For Bangladesh, embracing digital government services is essential to enhance citizen centricity, improve government responsiveness, promote transparency, and ensure equitable access to public services.

Aspire to Innovate (a2i) has been at the forefront of Bangladesh's digital transformation efforts for close to a decade and a half. To further these initiatives, a2i, in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), proposes a national-level GovStack workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh scheduled for June 25-27, 2024. This workshop aims to consolidate efforts, share progress, and strategize future steps in Bangladesh's digital government journey.

Whole of Government (WoG) Approach

Adopting a Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach is crucial for integrated and coordinated digital service delivery. The WoG approach emphasizes the use of reusable software components or "building blocks," enabling scalable and efficient digital government solutions. The GovStack initiative supports this by providing specifications for these building blocks, facilitating comprehensive digital governance.

Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach refers to a cross-sectoral and cross-organizational consideration of individuals' needs with reference to delivering digital services in a more integrated and coordinated manner. As such, there is a pressing need for countries to adopt a Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach to digital transformation. Through this, governments can adopt an integrated approach to addressing existing and emerging issues through public interventions, policies, legislations, strategies, and frameworks.

In assisting government's transition to digital governance, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Estonia, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Digital Impact Alliance launched the GovStack initiative. GovStack solves these problems by developing technical specifications for reusable software components called “building blocks" that can be used to inform design in various e-government services.

Objectives

The workshop aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Understand the Digital Government Landscape in Bangladesh – Gain insights from a2i about the current state of digital government initiatives in Bangladesh, understanding the context and challenges faced.
• Present a2i's Collaboration with GovStack – Review the collaborative efforts between a2i and GovStack over the past six months, highlighting achievements and lessons learned.
• Drive Decision-Making for Future Steps – Facilitate strategic discussions to identify priorities and formulate action plans for the next phase of the GovStack partnership, ensuring alignment with Bangladesh's national digital transformation goals and a2i and ITU's strategic goals.​
  

​​Target Audience

The workshop will invite key national stakeholders, including government officials, policymakers, ICT experts, and representatives from various sectors involved in digital transformation. ITU's technical expertise will provide valuable insights and global best practices on WoG digital transformation, and GovStack implementation. ITU will also share case studies on GovStack implementations across the globe.​

Expected Outcomes