Digital Centre entrepreneurs are working as frontline service providers, helping citizens access essential public and private services from their own communities. They help citizens with online platforms to complete applications, access services such as birth and death registration, land records, passport applications, and navigate systems that may otherwise feel difficult.

Their work is making service delivery faster, easier, and more citizen-friendly for rural people with the support from UNDP and the Government of Bangladesh through Aspire to Innovate (a2i). 

To further support that transformation, a two-day Training of Trainers on Digital Centre 2.0 Transformation was held in Gazipur on 4 and 5 July. The training was jointly organised by a2i and UNDP as part of the Digital Centre 2.0 piloting initiative.

It brought together 40 Digital Centre entrepreneurs from different regions, selected through performance and screening from earlier divisional-level sessions.

Speaking at the opening session,  Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, Acting Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Division, said Digital Centres are a key part of the government’s citizen-friendly service delivery system.

“Digital Centre is not just a service centre. It is one of the foundations of the government’s citizen-friendly service delivery system,” he said.

Mohd. Abdur Rafiq, Project Director of a2i and Additional Secretary, said Digital Centre 2.0 is not only a technological upgrade.

“Digital Centre 2.0 is an integrated transformation process centred on service quality, entrepreneur capacity and citizen satisfaction,” he said. He added that the trained participants would work as Digital Centre Champions, helping other entrepreneurs improve their skills and expand innovative services.

Sheela Tasneem Haq, Senior Governance Specialist, UNDP, in her opening remarks, highlighted the importance of the initiative, saying, “In rural and underserved communities, these entrepreneurs are the human face of digital public service delivery. It is important that we keep finding ways to promote them”. 

The training provided hands-on sessions on the vision and excellence framework of Digital Centre 2.0, citizen-centred and inclusive service delivery, capacity development of entrepreneurs, mentorship, business model development, innovation-driven business management, smart management, sustainability of digital centres, and preparation of regional action plans.

During the interactive session, the participants reflected on the practical challenges they face while serving citizens. These include changing service demands, limited digital literacy, the need for stronger technical skills, service quality gaps, accessibility issues, and making centres financially and operationally sustainable.

Md Abdul Quayyum, Head of Communications, UNDP, facilitated a session on how to communicate with empathy to connect and grow despite barriers. 

Among others, Md. Rashidul Mannaf Kabir, Joint Project Director (Joint Secretary), a2i; Ziaur Rahman, Deputy Secretary, Local Government Division, joined and facilitated sessions. 

When Bangladesh introduced Digital Centres, the goal was clear: to bridge the digital divide and make public services easier to access, particularly for marginalised people living far from government offices, online systems, and reliable information.

Currently, more than 9,500 Digital Centres operate across Bangladesh under the Cabinet Division, Local Government Division, and a2i, with support from district and upazila administrations.