Union Digital Center Research Articles

Users' Perception and Satisfaction in Public Service Delivery through Union Digital Canters in Bangladesh: A Case Study on Gobra, Gopalganj Areas

This study intends to assess users' perceptions and satisfaction by reviewing and analyzing how the government delivers information and services to rural citizens through Union Digital Centers (UDCs). The era of information and communication technology (ICT) has brought about a great deal of change by playing a crucial role in the provision of governmental services. In order to strengthen local government systems and ensure that e-services are available at the doorsteps of the public, the government has taken a novel step with the Union Digital Center (UDC). Union digital centers are brand-new onestop service locations that are open in all 4,554 Union Parishad locations across the nation. The current Bangladeshi administration is aware of this and has established an ICT-based Union Digital Center. The present government of Bangladesh has realized this fact of ICT and has introduced ICT based Union Digital Centre (UDC), district and upazila web portals to provide quicker and smoother services to the people for creating “Digital Bangladesh”. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were used in this study. Data were collected via a questionnaire from a purposive, quota-based sample drawn from the population of both service providers and receivers in Bangladesh who work for UDCs. In order to ensure good service delivery, it is advised that efforts be made to raise awareness and provide training and improve condition of offices. Although this study's and my research report's conclusions have substantial limitations, they also give me ideas for further investigation.

Analyzing the Effectiveness of Access to Information (a2i) Program in Promoting Women Empowerment in Selected Areas of Bangladesh: A Case Study of Shimulia Union Parishad and Muksudpur Union Parishad, Dhaka District

Access to Information (a2i) is a Government led nationwide program with 4,547 Union Digital Centers (UDCs) at every Union with two (one female and one male) entrepreneurships. With the aim of investigating to what extent ‘a2i’ is effective in promoting women empowerment through women entrepreneurship, this paper analyzed primary data collected from Shimulia Union Parishad (UP) and Muksudpur UP, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This paper indicates that the socioeconomic barriers are causing a2i program to have a less profound impact on promoting women empowerment through women entrepreneurship. With different recommendations from program level and policy level, this paper proposes that the design, redesign, and implementation of the a2i program should have a flexible characteristic so that it can address the socioeconomic challenges from within the scope of the program.

A Study on the Effectiveness of Utilization of the Union Digital Center Agricultural Information by the Farmers in Bangladesh

Aims: The aims of the study were to determine the effectiveness of Union Digital Center (UDC) in the utilization of agricultural information by the farmers, also to investigate the contribution of the selected characteristics of the farmers to the effectiveness of UDC in the utilization of agricultural information and to resolve the problems faced by the farmers in receiving agricultural information from the UDC. Study Design: It is a Field Survey Research. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a union named Alokjhari under Khanshama Upazila of Dinajpur district of Bangladesh There are eight villages in this union. The study was conducted in these eight villages from January 2020 to February 2022. Methodology: The farmers of Alokjhari Union who were members of the Common Interest Group (CIG) under the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) constitute the population of the study. According to Yamane’s (1967) formula, the sample size was determined as 154 from 200 respondents. A simple random sampling method was used in order to select the sample. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression were used for analysis. Results: The highest proportion 49.4 percent of the farmers had low effectiveness of UDC in utilizing agricultural information compared to 30.5 percent with medium effectiveness and 20.1 percent with high effectiveness. And the highest effective information that the farmers asked for was found on ‘compost preparation’ followed by ‘tree plantation’, ‘recommended seed rate’, and so on. Among the influential variables level of education, family income, innovativeness, agricultural knowledge and aspiration provided a 53.1 percent contribution to the effectiveness of UDC. Conclusion: The findings indicate that UDC plays a moderate role in the utilization of agricultural information. Agricultural knowledge was the main contributor to the improvement of the effectiveness of UDC while agricultural knowledge should be increased to both farmers and UDC staff levels.

UDCs (Union Digital Centers) and E-service delivery for Rural Development in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

UDCs (Union Digital Centers) and E-service delivery for Rural Development in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

Role of One Stop Shop for e-service delivery: Case Study on Union Digital Center in Bangladesh

The One Stop Shop (OSS) is a global concept that accelerates public and private service at the doorstep of citizens. Developing and developing countries have followed this approach to make public service citizen- cantered, inclusive and participatory. The government of Bangladesh has launched the one-stop-shop approach in the name of the Union Information and Service Center (UISC) as part of a partnership program. Over time, the number of one-stop shops has grown at Union, Paurashava and City Corporation level in Bangladesh. The objective of the study is to understand the existing one-stop-shop status in Bangladesh by analysing the role of One Stop Shop in promoting the provision of electronic services at the urban and rural levels. However, the study followed a qualitative design to achieve the goal of the study. Secondary data is collected through content analysis of relevant literature, books, journals and articles, etc. The study finds that there is a manpower (entrepreneurs) shortage and a lack of innovation in services in UDCs, PDCs and CDCs. Bangladesh has not been able to make significant progress and innovations to deliver dynamic public service at urban and rural level through the UDC, PDC and CDC. The study recommends initiating the provision of application-based public and private services through the UDCs, PDCs and CDCs. Social Science Review, Vol. 39(1), June 2022 Page 91-102

Performance evaluation of e-service delivery of union digital centers at the local level using composite indexing method: A study of Batiaghata upazilla in Khulna district

Bangladesh is a developing country such a huge population, most of whom reside in rural areas. All around the country, Union Digital Centers (UDCs) have been established to offer public and private e-services to all inhabitants. It seems appropriate to do study on assessing the performance of e-service delivery after a number of years have passed since the founding of the UDCs. The study area has been determined to be the Batiaghata union and Jalma union under the Batiaghata Upazilla. This study tried to evaluate the performance of e-service delivery of UDCs and compare the performance of e-services of Jalma union and Batiaghata union of Batiaghata Upazilla. Three major components such as service functionality, availability and, quality and efficiency have been considered in this study. To evaluate the performance of delivery of electronic services of these centers, the Composite Indexing Method was used. The results showed that e-services of both unions are virtually as effective and of moderate quality. There was a striking contrast between the two unions when the availability aspect of e-service delivery was taken into account (about 48.96% in Jalma UDC and 38.70% in Batiaghata UDC). On the other hand, both unions’ scores for service functionality were the lowest amount in practical. Overall, e-service functions of Jalma Union Digital Center were comparatively better than those of Batiaghata Union Digital Center which is 47.03% and 37.5% respectively. The study also suggested that the UDCs of two unions’ current e-service delivery scenario strongly need to future advancement in the provision of creative services based on the requirement for upgradeable technological knowledge in the most satisfactory manners.

Knowledge Attitude and Practice toward Union Digital Center (UDC): Strategies and Recommendations Regarding Building Self-efficacy for Rural Females of Bangladesh

Union Digital Center (UDC) is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) based one-stop service center at the doorsteps of the population that provides quicker and smoother services to citizens. Females all over the globe use ICT to a lesser extent than men, and in patriarchal Bangladesh, it is even lower. The study tries to fill the knowledge gaps by considering rural females’ knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding UDC. The aim is to reveal how effectively KAP has been shaped to attain self-efficacy for rural females. A mixed-method research approach was applied utilizing demographic survey through a semi-structured questionnaire followed by ten focus group discussions (FGDs) comprising eighty-seven participants and three Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Primary data has been collected using non-probability purposive sampling. Through thematic analysis, the study identified fields requiring special attention toward strengthening e-service, health, finance, and gender-based violence and found two broad themes of interventions, including service quality assurance and capacity enhancement to improve participants experience of using UDC. As the study revealed eighty-seven rural females’ experience, future studies can consider this as a pilot study and investigate the pattern of livelihood upgradation of indigenous community by adopting government’s latest social service delivery mechanism. HIGHLIGHTS Government established Union Digital Center (UDC) to simplify public service delivery processes and make them citizen friendly. ICT based service delivery usages by females is low comparing to male counterparts. Even though UDC charged less (75%) and thus saved time (72.5%) and made life easier (77.5%) for rural females, almost two-thirds of participants require to visit sub-urban cities to complete their ICT related activities. Family members (73.75%) receive services on behalf of the female participants and among those mostly spouse (63%) avail those services. Service Quality Assurance and Capacity Enhancement are two broad strategies recommended by the specialists and participants to improve female participation in UDC service delivery system.

The Impact of Digitalization in Local Governance Procedure on Rural Area: A Study on Companiganj Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Bangladesh's government is trying to digitalize the local government service delivery to ensure Bangladesh's remarkable success to make it a middle-income country. This research aims to understand the positive outcomes and discover the UDC's digitalization of governance procedures. It can play in modernizing public administration in the rural area to provide efficient and effective services to the study area. Then this study also tried to get people's satisfaction with the Union Digital Center (UDC) regarding their service quality and highlighted outcomes of the digitalization and problem in digitalization of the local government procedure. Digitalized governance plays a significant role in increasing entrepreneurship and economic improvement, improving the quality of living in the Companiganj Upazila. Finally, this research gives recommendations based on primary and secondary data that addressed barriers to overcoming those barriers in the Companiganj Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Keywords: Digitalization, E-governance, Union Digital Center (UDC), Rural Development, ICT DOI: 10.7176/JESD/13-8-06 Publication date: April 30 th 2022

Livelihood of Entrepreneurs of Union Digital Centers in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

Union Digital Centers (UDCs) have changed not just how government services are delivered, but also how entrepreneurs (UDDOKTA) live. This study appraises the demographic status of entrepreneurs of Union Digital Centers in Bangladesh. This study is based on a mixed approach to social research. Data were collected from 45 entrepreneurs of 25 UDCs in the southern part of Bangladesh. This study found most of the entrepreneurs get appointed from local inhabitants with proper training though it has a chance of political influence but regular monitoring has occurred. The entrepreneurs are under the age of 30 with a standard educational background. The reasons for joining at UDCs are to generate income and to enter an independent profession. Among male and female entrepreneurs, the dropout rate is higher regarding female than male counterparts because of their pregnancy or after marital issues. The rate of availability of male entrepreneurs in UDCs is higher than the female counterparts. Although the income of the entrepreneurs has become higher than before joining, low-income generation by male Entrepreneurs is surely a concern if it becomes lower than expectation. However, authorities must take care of the entrepreneur’s issues so that they can serve the entire community.

The Role of Union Digital Centres in Reducing Social Inequalities in Bangladesh

Union Digital Centers have been inaugurated to accomplish the vision ‘Digital Bangladesh’ to empower rural people by providing digital services. The study attempts to assess the role of union digital centers in reducing social inequality. It also tries to identify the barriers in providing digital services to the local disadvantaged people. In this purpose, the study exerted a cross-sectional mixed-method approach. Data were collected from 399 service receivers of UDC through questionnaire survey, 16 KIIs and 5 FGDs. From principal component and correlation analysis, it is found that the grassroots people’s easy accessibility, citizen’s empowerment by minimizing information gap, quality service delivery at affordable price and time-cost-visit reduction play a significant role in reducing social inequality in rural areas. These factors are positively correlated with the effective service delivery of UDCs to reduce social inequality. Lack of awareness, conflict of job responsibility with UP secretaries and weak network connection are the major barriers in providing effective services of UDCs. Still UDCs bring a new dimension in the public service delivery system which empowers the people and reduce social inequalities in rural areas.

The Role of Union Digital Centres in Reducing Social Inequalities in Bangladesh

Union Digital Centers have been inaugurated to accomplish the vision ‘Digital Bangladesh’ to empower rural people by providing digital services. The study attempts to assess the role of union digital centers in reducing social inequality. It also tries to identify the barriers in providing digital services to the local disadvantaged people. In this purpose, the study exerted a cross-sectional mixed-method approach. Data were collected from 399 service receivers of UDC through questionnaire survey, 16 KIIs and 5 FGDs. From principal component and correlation analysis, it is found that the grassroots people’s easy accessibility, citizen’s empowerment by minimizing information gap, quality service delivery at affordable price and time-cost-visit reduction play a significant role in reducing social inequality in rural areas. These factors are positively correlated with the effective service delivery of UDCs to reduce social inequality. Lack of awareness, conflict of job responsibility with UP secretaries and weak network connection are the major barriers in providing effective services of UDCs. Still UDCs bring a new dimension in the public service delivery system which empowers the people and reduce social inequalities in rural areas.

The magic bullet for rural development? Exploring the impacts of community telecenters in Bangladesh

This paper explores the impacts of Bangladesh’s Union Digital Centers (UDCs) as government information and service delivery hubs in rural areas. Drawing on user-surveys and semi-structured individual interviews it demonstrates that the UDCs have produced generally positive yet modest impacts on governance of service delivery. It shows that the UDCs are at an early stage of development, and that they offer only a limited set of services. While they helped extend ICT-enabled services to sections of population that would otherwise have missed them, the UDCs do not have much to do with rural livelihoods and empowerment of the poor and marginalized groups. These findings point to current inadequacies and pitfalls of the UDC approach to development. We argue that enhanced viability and effectiveness of the UDC experiment would warrant embedding more value-added governmental services and further strengthening of their capacity, mandate, and connectivity with government agencies at various levels, among others.

Role of ICT to Meet the Local Demands of Information Services: A Case Study of Ghorjan and Rajapur Union, Sirajganj

The study aims to analyze local needs/demands of information services in two Char-based Unions (i.e. Ghorjan and Rajapur) of Sirajganj district to address shortcomings of information requires for sustaining people’s lives and livelihood and contributing to the development of a Disaster Information Management System in Char-land areas of Bangladesh. It is a fact that a large section of Char communities is staying out of access to information at present due to their geographical isolation, lack of appropriate communication mechanisms, and initiatives - placing them in a difficult situation to survive. From this point of view, the focal theme of this study was the assessment of local needs/demands of information to develop “sustainable information communication and services mechanisms” by which the Char-land people get available access to such information. Based on this theme, the study adopted a participatory research approach to allow a cross-section of some selected stakeholders groups (farmer, fisherman, and migrant workers) along with Union Digital Center (UDC) and Char Digital Center (CDC) entrepreneurs, Union Parishad representatives, local NGOs, technical institutions, community volunteers, Government officials and community-based civil society organizations in selected Char-land areas to share their information needs and possible ways for channelizing it in long term perspectives and prioritize it in line with the people’s necessity and emergency, and finally tried to shape a framework for sustainable use of such information and communication services by using existing UDC, CDC, and community volunteers.

Utilization and Effectiveness of ICT as Agricultural Information Delivery System in Thakurgao, Bangladesh

The study was conducted in Thakurgaon sadar Upazila to determine farmers’ perception of the extent and factors of ICTs effectiveness in transferring farming information. A total of 250 people who were already been taken services from different ICT center was selected as sample respondents following a random sampling technique. Primary data were collected using a predesigned interview schedule. Findings revealed that 57.2% of the respondents contacted with Union Digital Center while 38.8% contacted with government own ICT center AICC (Agricultural Information and Communication Center) for their farming-related information. Majority (79.2%) of the respondents opined that they have utilized ICTs moderately to highly whereas three-fourth of the respondents found ICTs moderately to extremely effective in transferring farming technology. Uninterrupted electricity supply, high speed of internet, providing regular training on ICTs, skilled staff and technicians for ICTs and provision for repairing ICT tools are being perceived as significant factors of ICTs effectiveness. Near future, ICT may offer a great opportunity to facilitate the flow of information and technology service delivery to the rural people of Bangladesh.

Utilization of ICTs in Agricultural Marketing Information Delivery in Charland of Bangladesh

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a significant role in delivering agricultural marketing information to the door-steps of the agrarian community for effectively managing the farming practices and getting maximum profitability. However, the agrarian community in the rural areas, particularly in the Charland areas are yet to exploit this opportunity. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the status of ICT’s utilization in receiving agricultural marketing information in a selected Charland area of Bangladesh. The study was descriptive and diagnostic type research, conducted through primary data collection from the 120 farmers by a face to face interview technique. Findings revealed that almost 60% of the sampled respondents seek information related to agricultural marketing. Although a significant number of the farmers had access to different ICT tools such as mobile phones, radio, and television, the majority of them depends on peer-group farmers and the union digital center as the key sources of marketing-related information. Nonetheless, 26.58% of ownership farmers utilized ICTs for getting agricultural marketing information. Low access to electricity connection and their interrupted supply, lack of sales and customer delivery center for ICT-based tools in the rural areas, and insufficient training and awareness building initiatives are major challenges for effective utilization of ICTs by the rural Charland farmers.

Traditional mode of services versus digital e-services at local government in Bangladesh: A study of union digital center

Traditional mode of services versus digital e-services at local government in Bangladesh: A study of union digital center

Exploring the Role of Union Digital Center to Managing Information Services in Rural Development of Bangladesh

The information services are multidimensional and socially acts as the building block of communication among diverse groups in rural society. Rural development mostly relies on the effective use of information services in the day-to-day activities of rural people and rural administrations. In rural areas of Bangladesh, Union Digital Centre comprised of every prospect of delivering the advantages of new communication technologies towards the agricultural community who lagged behind the access to technology in their workplace, household social living, or at the institution. Prior studies revealed that the rural people of Bangladesh mostly suffer because of low productivity; the deterioration of social and economic conditions originated from the unavailability of adequate information. This article attempted to explore an overview of the roles of Union Digital Centre among various socio-politico-economic components in developing rural areas of Bangladesh. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect data through a structured questionnaire and a total of 100 respondents were selected from three old rural regions of Bangladesh. Besides, case study, focus group discussion, informal interviews, and content analyses were made. At the end, this paper discusses some findings on the importance of free access to technology for rural society, challenges, and recommendations that may guide policymakers and stakeholders.

Service quality, satisfaction and intention to use Union Digital Center in Bangladesh: The moderating effect of citizen participation.

This paper examines the service quality, satisfaction and intention to use Union Digital Center (UDC) in Bangladesh: The moderating effect of citizen participation. The study intends to measure the quality of service on the basis of satisfaction by adopting citizen participation as a moderator. Theoretically this study has used DeLone & McLean Information Systems (D&M IS) Success Model. The existing studies of Bangladesh are mostly qualitative and the correlation between the quality of service, satisfaction, and desire for using UDC has not verified. This research has adopted the D&M IS model while measuring and verifying the service quality based on satisfaction and use intention. A structured questionnaire method was used and data collected from 499 respondents from 10 UDC of 10 upazila under 8 divisions in Bangladesh. Partial Least Square (PLS), a statistical method that emerged on the basis of Structure Equation Modeling (SEM), technique has been used while analyzing the data. The result of this study has showed the quality (p<0.05) of information, system and service of UDC affects citizen satisfaction effectively where the moderator of citizen participation is also significant. This paper has constructed on the basis of a model and empirical data to verify the moderating effects of citizen participation. To ensure the improvement of service quality of UDC all of the dimensions related to the quality of service should be modified, develop the administrative system and citizen should be encouraging to participate in all aspects of services.

Agro-information Service and Information-seeking Behaviour of Small-scale Farmers in Rural Bangladesh

Agriculture is the mainstay of Bangladesh’s economy, accounting for 15.89% of its GDP and 45.1% of its labour employment. Efficiency of economic activities in agriculture crucially depends on the flow of information relating to farming decisions, as well as on demand for such information by farmers. This study examines the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of small-scale farmers in rural Bangladesh. Opinions and feedback of farmers were collected through mini–focus group discussions (MFGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) in seven districts across Bangladesh. The study finds that many farmers lack awareness of where and how to obtain agro-information. The priority areas on which farmers typically seek information include seeds, fertilisers, agriculture credit, irrigation, disease and pest management. The information-seeking behaviour of the farmers depends on two variables: the nature of the crisis and the reliability of the information available. Farmers rely on personal experience and informal networks when the nature of crisis is familiar or non-critical; they rely on multiple external sources when the nature of crisis is critical and personal knowledge proves inadequate. The use of information and communications technology (ICT) (such as Union Digital Centers and Agricultural Helplines) in this regard is minimal, and the potential of utilisation of the office of agriculture extension remains untapped. The major constraints faced by the farmers in seeking information using modern ICT include farmers’ prevailing norms and perceptions (e.g., resistance to change and adoption of new technology), relatively high costs of and low awareness regarding agro-information, poor infrastructure to be able to support ICT services, spatial inconvenience, in terms of location and availability of ICT facilities, and low literacy among the farmers.

Government Information and Service Delivery Through Union Digital Centers in Bangladesh

This study aims to analyze the government information and service delivery to the rural citizen through UDC in Bangladesh. It used a descriptive and exploratory research design based on the quantitative approach. The sample comprised of 383 UDC users who were randomly selected. The data was gathered using questionnaire and analyzed through SPSS (statistical package for social sciences). The statistical findings showed that the overall perception of UDC users on the e-governance initiative found positive. Also, the results of the regression analysis show that the digital divide and good governance has a substantial impact on the overall perception of the user. It is, therefore, suggested that efforts should be instigated for improved awareness and training which helps ensure effective service delivery.