Ziaul Haque, a 32-year-old physically challenged youth, looks beaming this time as Union Information Service Centre (UISC) set up at Huzripara under Paba upazila of the district more than two and half years back, has brought a major change in his life as he is earning a satisfactory monthly income by providing ICT-based services to the people.
“I have earned around Taka 80,000 and Taka 85,000 in July and August last respectively by providing around 37 categories of services to people through this UISC established in 2010,” he said adding that Soniya Khatun is another entrepreneur of the centre.Ziaul, who initially lost interest to work in the UISC, said during launching of the UISC he was not hopeful of making a profit out of it due to repeat loss. But, within six months a significant number of people started coming to the UISC to get various services, he added.In terms of earning, from very beginning he upholds the top position
in the district and the second or third in the division comprising eight districts.At the centre, alongside providing different services including agriculture, health, education and legal aid, Ziaul provides computer training to the students and unemployed youths, which greatly helped them to get better jobs.Very recently his major incomes started coming mainly from computer training, composing, scanning, printing services, photography,
photocopy, online registration, birth registration and internet browsing, he stated.He viewed that Union level expansion of ICT-based devises like computer, laptop, laser and color printer, projector, modem, digital camera, scanner, IPS, UPS and Photostat machine isn’t a matter of joke.Like Ziaul Haque, many entrepreneurs of UISCs across the upazila as well as the district have entered into profitable ventures and made them fortunate by enhancing their regular income.Entrepreneur of Haragram Union Raquibul Hassan Rony said he earned Taka 47,488 in July last through his centre. He expects to earn more within a short time if the existing problems are solved.Narrating his brief working life, Roni, a third-year graduation course
student of Rajshahi College, said “I want to be self reliant through the UISC and I am very hopeful of becoming a successful entrepreneur and social contributor.” Many unemployed youths have got jobs after receiving training on computer from the UISCs, he said adding students, youths and
working-people are imparted training in his centre, which is helping them to be skilled.Dr Bazlur Rashid, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), said different services of the upazila administrations are available at UISCs, which are helping to save time and money of the rural people.A total of 142 entrepreneurs including 71 females are self-employed in the USICs across the upazila and some of them had found government jobs as computer operator.He said the UISCs have opened scores of opportunities to the people including training on Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
and different job related information. Dr Pradip Kumar Panday, Associate Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Rajshahi University, told BSS that creating mass-awareness has become an urgent need for making the UISCs more effective and mass-media along with public representatives have a vital role to play in this regard.BSS, Rajshahi
