He also cautioned that the information and communication technology may widen the gap between the rich and the poor unless conscious policy decisions are not taken.

"If we don't take measures to reach the ICT to the poor, the rich will monopolise the ICT and the gap will widen," Dr Kamal Uddin Siddiqui told a national consultation meeting.

"We are at the rudimentary stage of e-governance and we are implementing a large number of projects to support ICT. But I am not satisfied with the progress. We have to go a long way if we want to establish e-governance in the country," he said.

Siddiqui was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the national consultation meeting on proposed broadband policy jointly organised by the PMO and UNDP at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

The dialogue in Dhaka was followed by a series of consultations held in Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Chittagong.

Speaking at the event, Renata Lok Dessallien, resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh, observed the proposed broadband policy has a far-reaching implication for Bangladesh.

"If used wisely, the connection of Bangladesh with broadband submarine cable should produce technological revolution with far-reaching positive implication," she said.

Poverty in Bangladesh has been slowly and steadily declining by one per cent annually but income inequality between the haves and have-nots has been widening, Dessallien said adding that disparity creates tension in the society and it is more so in the densely populated Bangladesh.

Miah Mushtaque Ahmed, science and ICT ministry secretary, underscored the need for reducing all sorts of monopoly in the ICT so that the low-income group people gets the benefit.

SM Jahrul Islam, local government division secretary, noted tariff policy should be very carefully examined so that the most people can afford the service.

Experts and ICT professional took part in the discussions in two working sessions pinpointing the shortcomings of the proposed broadband policy.