All citizens must be brought under ambit of digital services: Finance Minister

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has ordered to bring all citizens, including the common people, businessmen, professionals, farmers and workers, under the ambit of digital services. 

He said that no citizen will be left out of digital services.

He made the comment while addressing the heads of departments and organisations under the ministry as the chief guest at the 'Innovation Showcasing 2025-26' programme organised by the Financial Institutions Division at the Multipurpose Hall of the Finance Division of the Secretariat on Monday.

The Finance Minister said that there is no time to waste in the country's digital transformation. 

Digitization must be completed in all sectors as soon as possible, so that every citizen of the country, including the common people, businessmen, professionals, farmers and workers, gets its benefits. 

He said that the inclusive policy has also been followed in budget formulation. Starting from artists and musicians to the marginalised people of the villages, everyone has been taken into consideration. Similarly, no one can be left out in the case of digital services.

The Finance Minister said that it is not enough to only ensure inclusion in the economy, but also to deliver government and financial services to the doorstep of the people. 

There is no alternative to involving every person in the country in economic, social and political activities through technology, he added.

He also said that a high-level government delegation is currently visiting the country to utilize the experience of Estonia, the world's leading country in digital transformation. The delegation includes ICT advisers, the Governor of Bangladesh Bank and other relevant officials. 

He said that Estonia is currently one of the most successful countries in the world in digital transformation and many countries are following their model. Bangladesh also wants to utilize that experience. For this, the government is giving utmost importance to the issue.

Calling on banks, insurance institutions and other financial institutions to play a more active role in the expansion of digital services, the Finance Minister said that many customers are still not using online services. If necessary, separate officers should be appointed to make service recipients aware of this issue, whose responsibility will be to expand the scope of digital services. 

He also said that information should be conveyed to customers in an attractive way, so that they understand that it is possible to get the necessary services from home.

Highlighting the benefits of digital services, the Finance Minister said that people should not have to go to government offices, banks, insurance companies or any other offices unnecessarily. This will save people's time, travel expenses and energy and will increase the country's productivity overall. 

He said that full implementation of digital services is also essential to prevent irregularities and abuse in various sectors including insurance claims settlement and capital markets.

Praising the initiative of the event, the Finance Minister said that such an event opens the door to new ideas for many. 

However, it is not enough to just accept the project, effective initiatives should be taken to reach its benefits to the people, he said, adding that only then will it be possible to achieve the real goal of digital transformation.