Hasina thanks son Sajeeb Wazed Joy for his efforts to build ‘Digital Bangladesh’

Prime Minister Sheikih Hasina has thanked her son and ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy for his efforts to build a “Digital Bangladesh” as promised by the Awami League when it returned to power in 2008.

She spoke at a party event to mourn the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack victims via video call from the Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Friday.

Hasina regretted not being able to attend the programme in person due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“It [video conferencing] has been possible because a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ has been established,” the prime minister said.

“I called Joy for that and thanked him. I told him that it would not have been possible for us to carry out these activities now if he had not introduced the digital systems. Everything would have stopped,” she added.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many to work from home on the internet while many students are also learning lessons online.

Joy, often dubbed the man who implemented Hasina’s ‘Digital Bangladesh’ dream, has been advising her on ICT affairs since 2009.

The grandson of the nation’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman graduated in computer science from the University of Texas at Arlington in the US after studying at St Joseph’s College in India’s Nainital.

He later received a post-graduate degree in public administration from Harvard University.