The New Nation - Internet Edition

Grameenphone Ltd, in association with CARE Bangladesh, launched the 'Tathyo Tori' (Information Boat), a vessel designed to provide necessary livelihood information in the riverine communities of Bangladesh, at Dhirai, Sunamganj on September 22 last.

The Information Boats, which will move from one place to another on a fixed schedule, will work as an information hub to meet the communication needs of rural communities, especially the Char and Haor areas; people of these areas have limited access to up-to-date livelihood and other information due to their remoteness.

The main objective of this project is to both educate and empower the rural people with the necessary information for their livelihoods. The project will place specific focus on poor and marginalized people of the community.

Shuvashish Priya Barua, Head of CSR, Debashis Roy, DGM, Projects and Partnership, CSR and Shafquat Hossain, DGM, Social Communication, CSR of Grameenphone, and Stav Zotalis - Assistant Country Director, and Asif U Ahmed-Program Director, CARE Bangladesh, were present at the event.

Information boats will be equipped with digital content, such as livelihood and agricultural information, suited for the specific areas serviced by the boats. A typical Information Boat will have computers, Internet and email facilities, photocopiers, fax machines, printers, TV cameras and video machines, scanners, and more, depending on the needs of the community.

Grameenphone hopes to launch three such Information Boats by the end of the year.

Empowerment is one of the key focus areas of Grameenphone's social investments. The information boat project with CARE Bangladesh is part of that empowerment initiative.

CARE Bangladesh, part of CARE International, one of the world's largest private international humanitarian organizations, has been working in Bangladesh since 1949. Their programs are focused on women empowerment, private sector development, agriculture, education, health, reaching around 12 million people in 64 districts of Bangladesh.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Grameenphone aims to work hand in hand with the Government and other development agencies and become the partner in development of the country.