TOWARDS MORE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE ICT MODELS

The Bangladesh Hajj online information website has proved to be a successful initiative taken by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) of Bangladesh. During this years hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, it has tracked more than 40,000 hajis using technologies as OMR & Barcode providing loads of informations online. The website's implementation cost of about Tk 20 million was borne by MORA from its own resources. But the operational expenses of maintaining the website are now covered through a small "computer fee" collected from individual pilgrims. So operation cost of this successful initiative is now also sustainable. (Reports the Financial Express).

I wish initiatives for more ICT projects like this are taken in Bangladesh which will turn out to be extremely helpful as well as financially sustainable creating more IT jobs.