Inauguration of Telecentre Reference Desk

Under the umbrella of Bangladesh Telecentre Network (BTN), Telecentre Reference Desk has been inaugurated on March 30, 2008. Vice Chancellor of BRAC University professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury formally inaugurated the desk calling the expert of reference desk over Instant Messenger. Md. Masum Billah, task force leader of the desk presented the Telecentre Reference Desk to the representatives of BTN members. Telecentres in Bangladesh are struggling with numerous computer related and other technical problems regularly. Existing more than one thousand telecentres and future telecentres are expected to get direct benefit from this Reference Desk. The Reference Desk is equipped to provide expert support online and offline. The desk will also link local technical support service providers with telecentres where only advice is not enough.

Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury calls the Reference Desk expert

Initially the desk is offering support to computer hardware related troubleshooting, printer and scanner troubleshooting, Computer software installation and maintenance related help, computer network troubleshooting and Internet (Browsing, EDGE/GPRS modem, Handset as modem) related help. The services will be added to the pool very soon are power (UPS, source of power, voltage issue) related problems by May 2008 and appropriate Location to establish telecentre by June 2008. Telecentre Reference Desk can be reached by phone, e-mail, Instant Messenger and postal mail. The desk will run in its pilot phase until November 30, 2008.

Md. Masum Billah presents the desk to the participants

The representatives discussed over framework, functionality and sustainability of the desk. Country Director of Relief International School Online Nazrul Islam emphasizes on adaptation of technological changes and conscious support to the problems. General Secretary of SDNF Md. Asaduzzaman was to suggest archiving criteria of the problems that different models of hardware have different way of troubleshooting solutions. Dr. Ananya Raihan, Executive Director of D.Net suggested to decentralize the desk gradually to setup regional reference desk with local dialogues.