Public Service Innovation Bangladesh 2 Puble Group Discussion Members la Tana Nos cola ec Ma aoe eee Events Videos Photos Files Join Group saints group to post and comment eee reese ciara tres a Ler eens ert ett ante) SC CER ea as reer eee Peper ao aan Peeeaeernis poeece eet Nolasco a caer aie y Picton ecoreteTes While social media has traditionally Pere eer) Piste pene ea iat foviicenmburee iomtncnieiat) Pret Ren ea aero eerie erro ans Bangladesh, with support from a2i aro now Increasingly using this Pec er srr aay Ear enter Preiae Roemer) ao Se eee vs 4 F ° “Y Innovation Prime Minister's @2i Office “BANGLADESH x. @2 " oi How Social Media Can Bring Citizens and Government Together for Public Service Innovation Bangladesh — home to about 160 million people is extremely vulnerable to the adverse effects of global climate change. Due to climate induced river erosion and apid urbanization, Bangladesh is also ‘going through a spelt of deforestation- a rend dubbed as “alarming” by experss In order to tackle this problem in Trishal Mymensingh district, a local public service department used Facebook to facilitate a ‘green revolution though a campaign titled Green Trishal Movement. ‘After consultation with school and college ‘administrators and relying on finances rom the local government support fund this Green Revolution campaign was inaugurated in April 2018. with 20.000 students initially involved. The initiative was expanded, with trees, including of limber, fruit and medicinal species, provided to all schools and colleges, As a result. on October 3, 2036 the people of Trishal made history by planting over 309,000 saplings in one Gay! Moreover. every student that patlicipated in this movement was Given a health card. titled—"What Sbout your tree?! so that students Could report back on the latest condition of their saplings. In addition, every educational institute that participated in this movement was given a monthly reporting form and a hotline number. for regular monitoring and reporting about the growth of the saplings. Gradually the campaign has transformed into a social movement. Even though the ‘campaign used Several tools such as meetings and town halls to sensitize the movement, the strategie Use of Facebook really turned the movement into a success,tk was found that Facebook not only connected poopie of Trshal with the movement tas tho feamaaign ineative was being snared fram one Facabook wall to anothor, But also this social resi site was Useful to facilitate an ownership of the campaign among local masses sinco many shared their opinion about ow to make ths campaign success In recognition of this novel intative, Rigen he {governmantoficer we Conceived and cnampioned the idea, was given a national award by he Primo Minster’ Orica n tne social media catagory. We have recevad 2 lat of inquiies about the programme from interested organzations, both {government and non-government” says. Ripon. “Many are. thinking of implementing similar schemes inthe areas? News of events fr =apling plantation tough edueational institutions, wore posted in Facebook. People af all walks of tes ‘wore found to be joining those saping dstbution Ponts to collect and plant trees. This has also Changed the socio-economic. fuluro of THshat forever. When these tees grow and mature, they wil produce fus and timber. Perhaps most Importantly, the Green Tshat programme nas worked to engenderin he stucenis 2 sense of responsibly for te environment. "By planting tees right from chidhood, opines Ripon, Four chidran can develop an awareness. of tye eee to care for the environment in order to enrich Itwith greenary ane! ull mately prove protection from natural daasters ae wall” rte Cer tree EIEN at uaa ura Toure) [An overwhelming 80 percent of internet {sors in Bangladesh are on social network Ing websites lke Facebook and Twitter. That 's over 16 milion poopie and counting - the ‘ate of new Facebook users outpacing the country's birth rate as one new Bangladeshi Facebaok account is opened every 20 seconds! ‘This makes social media a great platform for government to each out to citizens and stay petoncate with eurrant events and trond in Society, az) is thus supporting the civil service to harness the power of socal media Ing strategie ways: Discovering restive ways to attaln iective eitizen engagement inthe process fof improving public service delivery 2. AS a peer-support and mentorship piatform to encourage the spread of iceas, fand interaction among experienced senior Civil “servants and junior offcers. with Innovative ideas and ambition 3. Institutionalizing and managing the Practice of eitizen-centric Innovation by breaking down hierarchical barriers aerose all ministries, departments and agencies ‘The overall architecture ls based! primary en +04 citlzen-facing. open pages ~ one for each of Bangladesh's 54 distits - that are accessible to etizens: and + central page named “Public Service Innovation Bangladesh’ ~ that is accessibie only 10 eivi servants and meant to be a Closed space where they can freoly discuss Issues around improving public services. ‘The success of this model nas alrescy encouraged over 5000 offces of many ministries, dractorates, subsdietret level Government ofices and even frontine Service providing agencies to also open up their own accounts, eae Cy Promoting etizens partcpationis acomerstone of this intiatve. 22/5 goat isto improve tne ctizen's access to information ane publ services: and promote participation in public decision-making Sehioh impacts the wellbeing of society. n generat and tne nevdual in parti eee Citizens. as wall as government offcers, are able to access the Information they need tom he Bangladesh National Portal tarww.bangiae desngov.bd) as well ae YouTube and a myriad of overnment Facebook pages Prete tected ‘id administration toams of the goverment conduct “consultations wth cltrens. wile Smultaneously engaging their superors who are based in the captal Dhaka, through Facabo0« Live. EE Eernr an! Senior bureaucrats, eluding the Cabinet Secretary are able to provide guidance and decisions instant on pressing matters. aA CETUS CRSA) IRAN eran 2 MILLION+ Crea} 1000+ ein crs) A Crd STATA TS WwRaat nee a Bangladesh tee Me (ayww-facebookcom/groups/pubiieservl- ceinnovationblog/) ~ 9 Facebook group for fi servants ~ has brought about a revolution in Bangladesh Cw Service's internal communications system. Together with Departmental Blogs, they have ied to the breakdown of Merarchleal baie that have historiealy dotorred quick organizational to demonstrate their potential by sharing Ideas. learning fom and supporting each ther by talking about their challenges. To ate, over 8.509 government offcials have fengaged in social mecia dialogues through freee" government Facebook pages/graups, “op bureaucrats Uke the Cabinet Secretary ane: Principal Secretary are not ony writing posts on topics lke Innovation but even encouraging their colleagues, particularly those at the field level wno are closer to citzons, to challenge their propositions anc have online deaates through comments an Facebook to decide on the best course of action. Increasingly, crteal Issues from the Grassroots level are beng icenlifed. Publicired and national level policy Sialogues, often organized by tho relevant ministies’ themsewves, are being held. to Address thom Moreover, the fact that an idea pasted as 2 "tus on Buble Service Innovation Bangladesh bya foi lovel offcer can attract a comment fr question trom their ministry's tap secretary sonves as tremendous inspiration ane. a fective incentive for them to continue to think, engage and act innovatively to further the cause of efen-cantie puble service innovation in Banglacesh veer oan stws oer ave Soe ie eee Serge ge pore ct eueren Sesser Sew aac one, cos 19 April 2016. A member posted a comment on the” Facebook grove, Barisal-Problems & Prospects’ with some photos of Jel Kha icanal) drawing [Mtention of the District Administration €2 Stop envronmental damage that was being caused by illegal encroachment of the Banks and to protect all the canals stuated within Garlsal ~a remote district in south-central Bangladesh that is one of the oleast municipalities and tiver ports of the country, ‘Against this backdrop. under the supervision of tho sist administration neatly 40,000 people valuntarty took part ha reseve and. cecontamination ‘campaign of Jail Khal on September 3. 2016, Interestingly, even though the government le the initiative. a Facebook campaign in favour of ths intative was able to attract thousands to get involved, In our country itis hard to And exampios sunore_a government-backod campaign via Facebook is" apie to engage thousanes. Therefore, in my opinion, the Gorisal district administration has crested 2 ‘The Jail Khal is 32 kilometres (3.200 mates! long = stotching fom Nathullabed fo Krtonchola River This strstch has been divides into 30 points. In colal 30 g/oups ‘ware formed to work in this points. Eaen {group was comprised of two freedom fighters. members from two NGOs. two {government institutions. one educational Sratitaion, one cultural organisation. a voluntary institute. one couneilior and ive rover scouts nit Woman councillars were assigned to work sth three groups while executive magistrates Worked with five groups. Adaitional deputy Commissioner/dsrict magistrate were leouing after 10 groups. Thiry boats and speedboats were used in this cleaning operation Three mobile courts supervised the entre operation. Five cleaning assistants ofthe city corporation were deployed fer each of the 29, points ‘The programme was aimed to Improve the lonvionment of Barisal, And was successfully completed with spontaneous participation of the _mombers of puble coupled with the social media platform - Facebook ana citizen Journalism involuing the local youths ‘The media along with the newly introduced Barisal FB TV braadeasted the campaign ive, Tense added s new simensian tothe program: This initiative is signifeant, There is 8 saying that our countrymen da set mave an ineh without any selfintorest, However in this c2se, nearly 40,000 people nave actively ‘olunteored to tidy up the canal, Ht clearly indicates endeavour for sociat ‘welfare haz not been cimin'shed yet. IF an Issue could be wrought at the forefront and people could be inspired properly than any Impossible task could be turned into a possibie task At present, the ‘Barisal-Probloms & Prospects’ Facebook group hes 80.454 members. Moreover, inspired by the Barisal Jel Canal Cleaning ‘Drive and using Knowledge from this experience, the Deputy Commissioner (0c) of Tangaiteistrict sucessfully mobilized chizens to clean the historical Uauhaiang River. And many more districts are gearing ue to-go the same! > SUT TSECreating a Peer-Support & een ct Na ReN eats ‘As an endogenous means to build ther eapacity to innovate, 2 Public Service Innovation Facebook thitps //ww/facebook.com/roups/ ovationblog/) page nae been 19 spread ideas and encourage Interaction among experienced seniors. and Juniors with innovative. eas and ambition Secretaries and District Administrators regularly hold. ‘Social Media Sanglaps (consultations) {through YouTube channais to connect with Sela evel ofcals and citizens representatives and work on urgent ssues of puate interest such 35 food adulteration and child marrage. hamessed the power of socal media to fa odo the breakcow ot Nrarcicabarors Scmvmuricaton loge have become a potent SF ious to ste varus aumiistratve eaves Focobsok is euichy emerging te the dominant ofees actos the county. Ths patois bang Men sharing and oven grovanee’ Teese Problem Solving: Discussion > Action > Pree euet cama ‘Top bureaucrats including the Cabinet Secretary mma and fold love, offeers in. spontaneous lontial solutions that thay Rave. Many ef thase the Cabinet Secretary or the Principal implementation making 3 positive ciflerence In Ettective follow-up and recognition toot Bangiadesn Facebook pago by s mid 9 nor Auostion fom ineir minatys top secretary and ‘Smartsnisvecognon tepraton ane efonive sraact innova aly fo farther tne cause of uate PE NSS TNE Se coon Coon Seog wuwazipme govbs eee aia engaged through the § 000 government facing Facebook pages. Moreover, all 64 Faceaook pages. Increasingly. critical identifed publicizes and national (eval poly dialogues, often organized by tne felevant minstrias themselves. are being exhibition af how public mobilization ara fempomerment through social media is giving clizens a voiee in potley making Moraover, hundreds of thousands of ofcers and clizens ae raising issues, collaborating and sharing ideas arc experiences al better service delwvery through numerous facittation. papular social media platforms are being. gradually tanstormed nto Powerful communication tools for reaching fd engaging with parts of the community that traditional communication channels struggle to reach. The practice has atected tremencous impact on peopie's sense of participants a reece tstablisheet by and wihin the Prime Ministers Orree, Government ofthe People’s Republi of Banglacesh with support fom UNDP. An unprecedented, deop lavel of nership bythe ‘Government is thus Bult from the outst Moreover the core strategy being opti for trogay and sey To ensure tat the feito czars’ gavancen, Beak cown Cres "a peerauppor and. menorthip Chile, of cizen-sntie ble, service program andwos uy sustainable a2i, Prime Minister's Office ¢ 88.02 9144848, 02311, sa1sei7s A, 98029132276, eavibe {G /o2\bargladesh 1 /a2ibangladesh eeu Ge A pleasant challenge thet has -ecently emerged has been District and Sub-Distrct government foficers, coming up with simple, ‘yet highly fefective solutions to public service enallenges able to realize that they represent innovations: fr, B) lack the courage to share and present them in the closed Puslie Service Innovation Bangladesh Facebook group. Though ths is an important indicator that demonstrates that 221 to fruition itis also a messed opportumty in the fense that there are numerous good ideas with the potential for national level scalability wnich fre remaining restricted at the local level {A continuing challange for aai isto ensure how ignored posts got noted by relevant government is yet to be established which would allow 22i to lsdvocate for the use of socal median grievance recressal process, Another key challenge = protecting elizens identity for reducing chances Of retaliation by the cefencant (e.g. contractors taking revenge). Another key challenge relates to maintaining poliieal neutrality of UDCS so the government hierarchy. and are able to continue operating as a conduit for redressing grievances, besides providing public anc private ‘Alongside a's strategic colaboration with 2 growing nurber of erator organcasons foputed ~ ornatoral” universes and technelogatand socatrsearch, BD