The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is partnering with the Survey of Bangladesh to establish a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) for Bangladesh, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of development plans through advanced spatial data analysis and utilization. This initiative was highlighted during the “NSDI Open Seminar” held recently at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka.
The seminar, centered on the national spatial data platform, was jointly organized by the Survey of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Defence, and JICA. Notable attendees included Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker, the Minister of State for the Ministry of Planning, Japanese Ambassador IWAMA Kiminori, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Defence ATM Siddiqur Rahman, and MIURA Mari, Senior Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office. Brig. General Nur-E-Alam Mohammed Jobayer Sarwar, Surveyor General of the Survey of Bangladesh, chaired the seminar, which saw participation from various organizations and spatial data users.
Following the footsteps of developed countries, Bangladesh is set to launch the NSDI, a unified platform making spatial information more accessible. JICA has been instrumental in supporting the Survey of Bangladesh under the Ministry of Defence through a technical cooperation project for the establishment of the NSDI. JICA experts are collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders, including the Survey of Bangladesh, to initiate this platform.
Speakers at the seminar emphasized the critical need for such a platform to facilitate the transition from Digital to Smart Bangladesh. They highlighted that the implementation of the NSDI and related policies will bring Bangladesh closer to achieving the “Smart Bangladesh Vision” by making geographic information more accessible. This, in turn, will enable the Ministry of Planning to undertake development projects with greater precision.
“The spatial data will be easily accessible to all, fulfilling the vision set forth by our Prime Minister during the project’s inception. The NSDI platform is a timely initiative aligned with the country’s current economic development. The Ministry of Planning will continue to support the full-scale implementation of the NSDI to prevent data redundancy,” said Shahiduzzaman Sarker, MP, Minister of State for the Ministry of Planning, urging all stakeholders to contribute data to the common platform.
Upon the project’s completion, the government will be able to avoid duplication in project formulation, and other stakeholders will benefit from a reliable platform for geographic data. This will save time and resources for both government and non-government organizations dedicated to Bangladesh’s development.
