G M Saiful Islam: Bangladesh’s digital transformation has become one of the country’s most significant public sector achievements. From birth registration and land records to passports, tax payments, utility bills, and social protection programmes, an increasing number of government services are now available through digital platforms. These investments have improved efficiency, expanded service availability, and reduced dependence on manual processes.
Across Bangladesh, many people still rely on family members, local entrepreneurs, Union Digital Centres, or neighbourhood computer shops to complete online applications, upload documents, 
make digital payments, or simply understand government procedures. The issue is often not the absence of technology, but the absence of confidence, knowledge, and guidance.
Digital literacy is frequently understood as the ability to operate a smartphone or browse the internet. Public service delivery requires a different set of skills. Citizens must know which service they need, which documents are required, where to apply, how to verify information, how to interpret official instructions, and how to respond when an application is rejected or delayed. This is better described as procedural literacy, the ability to navigate administrative processes within a digital environment. For many citizens, this remains the greatest barrier.
A farmer may own a smartphone but still feel uncomfortable submitting an online application because he worries about uploading the wrong document. An elderly citizen may receive an SMS notification without understanding its significance. A woman living in a rural area may have access to the internet through a family member’s phone but lack the confidence to use government platforms independently. Young people are generally more comfortable with digital technology, yet even they can struggle to understand legal and administrative requirements for services such as land records, licences, or social protection programmes. These are not failures of technology. They are reminders that digital transformation is ultimately a human process.
Fear of making mistakes further reinforces dependence on intermediaries. Unlike shopping online or using social media, mistakes in public services can have lasting consequences. An incorrectly submitted application may require repeated visits to government offices, additional documentation, or lengthy correction procedures. Faced with such risks, many citizens choose to seek assistance from someone they trust, even when the digital service itself is technically accessible. This behaviour is entirely rational. People are not simply purchasing technical assistance; they are purchasing confidence.
Repeated visits also carry hidden costs that are often overlooked in discussions about digital government. Transport expenses, lost working hours, repeated document preparation, and uncertainty about procedures can outweigh the direct cost of a service. For low-income households, these indirect costs can become a significant burden. A service that appears “digital” from an institutional perspective may still feel expensive and time-consuming from the citizen’s perspective.
The challenge is not distributed equally across society. Older adults, women with limited independent access to technology, people with lower educational attainment, persons with disabilities, and those living in remote areas often face greater barriers in navigating digital systems. Closing the digital divide therefore requires more than expanding broadband coverage. It requires addressing differences in capability, confidence, and opportunity.
The future of digital government will not be determined solely by faster servers, more sophisticated applications, or additional online services. It will be determined by whether citizens feel capable of navigating those services without fear, confusion, or unnecessary dependence on others. Digital transformation begins with technology but inclusion begins with the users. As Bangladesh enters the next stage of its digital journey, that distinction may prove to be the most important one of all.
About the Author
G M Saiful Islam is a development professional specializing in governance and results-based management.
Cell: 01722752217
Email: saiful.learner@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saiful-islam-64274933/
