Palak unveils plan to transform post offices into smart service points

The government of Bangladesh has unveiled an ambitious plan to modernize local post offices into Smart Service Points (SSP), aimed at providing over 325 e-government services, including banking-related ones, in remote villages.

State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, announced the initiative on Tuesday as part of the country‍‍`s efforts to build a Smart Bangladesh.

Speaking at the inauguration of "Koira," a smart post office in the coastal Upazila Koira of Khulna District, Mr. Palak emphasized that alongside regular services, all e-government services would be accessible at these smart service points.

State Minister Palak underscored the role of these centers in ensuring economic inclusion and narrowing the digital divide across Bangladesh. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, also serving as the UNDP goodwill ambassador, inaugurated the Koira smart service point.

Key figures including Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Director General of Postal Department Tarun Kanti Sikdar, and Policy Adviser of A2I Anir Chowdhury were present at the event.

Palak revealed that the government has initiated the conversion of five post offices into smart post centers on an experimental basis, with Koira being the pioneering step. Plans are underway to implement 500 more such centers soon.

Emphasizing the importance of digital inclusivity, Palak highlighted the goal of extending services to every doorstep across the country, including remote areas, utilizing the extensive network, infrastructure, and workforce of post offices.

He outlined the broader vision of achieving a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, envisioning a smart postal system facilitating goods delivery through various hubs surrounding the country‍‍`s 10,000 post offices.

Palak described the SSP initiative as a concerted effort to merge digital solutions with traditional postal services, expressing optimism that these service points would revolutionize accessibility and efficiency in rural Bangladesh. Features such as parcel tracking, bill payment, and e-commerce facilities are expected to enhance the service delivery experience for rural communities.