Dr Salehuddin Ahmed
the new President of BCCP Executive Board

Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank (central bank) and a renowned economist, has been elected as the President of the Executive Board of Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP). Currently engaged as a Full-time Professor at BRAC University, Dr. Ahmed held several important and top positions at different renowned organizations in his long and colorful career. Earlier, he was engaged as the Managing Director of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation. Prior to that, he held the positions of the Director General at NGO Affairs Bureau and the Director General at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Cumilla.
With a track record of brilliant academic results, Dr. Ahmed largely contributed to the socio-economic development of the country, starting from policy formulation to providing guidance to many organizations and institutions for implementation of those policies. Utilizing his rich experience, he provided consultancies to a number of international agencies, including ILO, UNESCO, UNCRD, UNDP, FAO, ADB, UN-ESCAP etc. and to many national agencies. Dr. Ahmed enlightened the society by disseminating his exceptional ideas and thoughts through more than hundred publications. As part of his dedicated services to the cause of social development, he maintains Membership with many reputed national and international organizations.
BCCP family, including the Members of its Executive Board, are very happy to have Dr. Ahmed as the President of the Executive Board and look forward to moving ahead with more successes in social development sector by adding more landmark achievements to the list the organization already have at its credit. With continued support from all the stakeholders, we believe, we can translate our vision – A society that enables a healthy, poverty-free, better life through Strategic Communication – into reality through our dedication and need-based actions.

Ensuring food security for all
Mohammad Tareq Hasan

Food security in Bangladesh
During the World Food Summit in 1996, food security was defined as “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” This definition itself reflects the multidimensionality of the issue. Specifically, there are four primary dimensions: Physical availability of food—the supply side; Economic and physical access to food—household-level income, expenditure, market access, and prices; Food utilization—food preparation, diversity, of the diet and intra-household distribution of food; Stability of the other three dimensions over time.

Why do so many people suffer from food insecurity?
As the definition of food security indicates, there are multiple facets. We can comprehend from the definition that people face food insecurity when there is a low supply or less ability to access food items. So, there are production side factors as well as market, accessibility, and distribution factors. Reduced accessibility because of low income or supply chain disruptions affects food security. Additionally, factors affecting the production side include low yield because of climatic variations or disasters. Regional and seasonal variations and social issues are integrated with these two factors. Therefore, food security is multidimensional and not always related to physical/natural causes.

Price hikes, inflation, and poverty
The increase in global food prices periodically put many countries, including Bangladesh, in a crisis, primarily affecting low and middle-income families as they spend a large share of their income on food. Rising food prices and reduced purchasing power due to inflationary pressure worsen food security globally. Global price hikes of food products lead to dual impacts: national and household-level crises. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2022), globally, as many as 46 countries, including Bangladesh, require external assistance to meet their food import needs. Any national food security crisis eventually trickles to the household level, worsening poverty. During May-August 2023, the WFP survey period, 71 percent of families in Bangladesh identified high food prices as their primary concern. To adjust to the food prices, 70 percent adopted negative coping strategies—they had to cut down on food intake, borrow money, sell off assets, and buy food items on credit. The situation indicates that government initiatives to ensure food security leave room for improvement.
Supply chain disruptions and import-export dynamics
Supply chain disruptions—caused by events like the Russia-Ukraine war, natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic—lead to higher global prices of agricultural inputs and food products. Besides, developed economies’ tight monetary policies designed to combat inflationary trends can limit the availability of credit needed to address falling foreign exchange reserves, which are crucial for importing essentials like food, fuel, and fertilizer. Anyhow, when a country’s import bills exceed its export earnings, foreign exchange reserves decrease. This can lead to their currency losing value, resulting in a downward economic spiral. As a result, countries like Bangladesh are forced to restrict imports. Unfortunately, this series of events hurt household incomes, increasing poverty and food insecurity.
Natural disasters and food security
Climatic factors affect food production and, hence, food security. Recurrent natural disasters hit many parts of Bangladesh, causing food insecurity and reliance on negative coping. Due to the changing climate change, Bangladesh suffers from delayed, excessive, and erratic rainfall, salinity, cyclones, heat and cold waves, riverbank erosion, flash floods, etc. As the country has experienced in recent years, August 2023 was the most affected month of the season by severe flash floods in the Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, heatwaves in Rajshahi, and throughout the country cyclones. More than two in ten households (24 percent) were food insecure on average in August 2023, an increasing trend from May 2023. The food security indicator reveals that natural disasters, along with price shocks and poverty, threaten food security, especially in low-income households.

Geographical variations in food security
Food security is related to income and expenditure and varies across regions. One of the proxies to comprehend the variation is nutrition status, as food insecurity leads to undernutrition and has a rural-urban disparity. Undernutrition is significantly higher in rural residences of Bangladesh than in urban residences, and the endowment effect explains 86 percent of the total urban-rural difference in undernutrition prevalence (Hossain et al., 2023). This variation in nutrition is related to the rural population’s fewer economic resources on the one hand and their educational attainment on the other. Overall, the government must consider the connection among forms of inequality to overcome the rural-urban disparity of food security. Obviously, as mentioned earlier, climate change affects food security more aggressively in some regions than in others, making the food security issue further complicated.

Food security, child health, and women
Food security in Bangladesh can also be assessed by the trends and patterns of women and childhood undernutrition. Although the prevalence of childhood undernutrition declined during the period from 2004 to 2014, the rate of undernutrition is higher among the children of mothers who had lower education, live in rural areas, and are from the poorest wealth quintile (Sarkar et al., 2019). Undernutrition is further aggravated for the girl child. Further, it should be noted that households with female heads and disabilities are more food insecure, especially during natural disasters, as identified during the WFP survey in 2023. Besides, due to the patriarchal nature of the household and the norm of eating, when any food shortage is faced, women remain the most food insecure in the family. This gender dimension is more related to family and social dynamics than physical availability and accessibility at the aggregate household level.

Strategies for building a resilient society
The food security issue is multidimensional. So, the strategies for building a resilient society must involve technological, governance, and social components. To ensure food security and enhance the agriculture sector, a two-pronged approach should be adopted. On the one hand, technological innovations are necessary to improve productivity, withstand climatic disasters, and ensure sustainability in agriculture. On the other hand, food production has to be coupled with policies and strong institutions for inventing new varieties of crops, crop diversification, procurement, marketing, and distribution. Further, international and bilateral agreements and strategies are crucial. As Bangladesh depends on imports of food items and agricultural inputs, the government must be aware of the possible disruptions in the supply chain or internal production risks to eliminate threats to our food security. As already indicated, the issues of food security and hunger reduction are not solely related to agricultural production. They are part of broader macroeconomic policies, including land use, pricing, subsidy, and fiscal policies aimed at reducing poverty, i.e., the number of food-insecure people.
Poverty reduction strategies are pivotal, and the government must revive the domestic economy to a large extent. Also, the government must devise strategies to control price fluctuations and possible market manipulations and help the poor segment of the population overcome financial hardships. The solution may seem straightforward, but the governance and social components must be addressed locally with the support of grassroots stakeholders. Further, considering the multifarious factors that influence food security, we must be attentive toward improving the economic situation and maternal education to enhance the food security status of children and ultimately reduce inequality. Therefore, Policymakers must also take proactive measures toward equitable distribution. At the national level, social safety net programs must ensure that families can always access food. Hence, the existing governmental support must be expanded. At the regional and local levels, government and non-government stakeholders should be engaged to identify the most vulnerable segments and work together so that economic, technological, and social supports reach the most deserving. The poverty reduction strategies should include collaborations with agriculture extension services to encourage people with access to arable lands to cultivate. Eventually, the country may become less dependent on importing food items. Efforts must also be targeted so that the available food resources within the household are shared without disparities.
Hence, communication and awareness about the multidimensionality and possible solutions are essential in addressing food security issues. The communication programs should target three levels in an integrated manner: policymakers—about the intricate nature of food security issues; local stakeholders—to motivate and engage the people in poverty and/or social inequality reduction initiatives; and the population—to ensure production and equitable food distribution within the family. If we cannot address the social element of the food security issue, only the physical availability of food will skew the benefits. We all must accept that food security is as much a social issue as a physical or resource issue.
In our fight against food insecurity and building a more resilient society, extensive and multidisciplinary research is necessary, particularly to overcome the difficulty of theoretically and empirically connecting the global, regional, and local aspects of food security with meso (policy) and micro (behavioral) dimensions.
Mohammad Tareq Hasan is an anthropologist and teaches at the University of Dhaka.

BCCP’s effort for capacity building on climate change intervention continues and it conducted ToT for the national level trainers

Following a series of desk review of documents and a systematic process orientation for development of a curriculum, Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) have held a 3-day ToT for the national level trainers. As the IEDCR is the point organization in Bangladesh for undertaking the technical aspect of climate change related health hazards, this ToT brought IEDCR medical professionals to receive the training and form trainers’ team. With the WHO funding and technical support, this curriculum and the ToT has been planned, developed and implemented by BCCP which was participated by 15 medical professionals of IEDCR.
This national level ToT was held on October 03 – 05, 2023 in a local hotel of Dhaka.
In the inaugural event of this ToT Dr. Tahmina Shirin, Director, IEDCR attended it as the Chief Guest. In her opening remarks Dr. Tahmina emphasized the need of taking initiative to intervene into the climate change issues, in which health concern is of an immense importance. She expressed hope that this training will lay foundation for developing a climate informed hospital emergency preparedness and response plan. She expressed her hopes to see a climate change resilient health system to work throughout the health service delivery sites of the country.
The key topics covered in the ToT includes;

• Introduction to climate informed hospital emergency preparedness and response plan
• Command, control and communication of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Triage and surge capacity of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Human resource, logistics and supply management of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Post disaster recovery of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Beneficiary awareness and engagements in response to climate change through client-provider interaction
• Process and steps for changing human behavior to respond for adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

A combined form of methodologies were followed in planning, organizing and conduction of the ToT and facilitating sessions that followed the Reflection, Discussion and Synthesis model of training which includes;
- Plenary discussion with question and answer
- Group work and group presentation
- Visualized and video presentation
- Worksheet exercise
- Quality presentation exercise and making mock presentation in group.

In a brief closing session trainee participant and the facilitators jointly expressed their hopes and enthusiasm that this ToT will derive with a sustainable impact over the establishment of climate informed hospital emergency preparedness and response plan in the GoB health service facilities which will ultimately contribute to the mitigation and adaptation of the climate change effect in our country situation.

BCCP expanded efforts for capacity building of health professionals on climate change interventions under WHO funding

A series of eight-batch training was conducted at headquarter districts of eight divisions for the medical professionals of the upazila health complexes and the Civil Surgeon offices. This two-day training, titled as “Climate Informed Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan”, followed a well-conceived curriculum which has been reviewed, made certain revisions and tested with the WHO and IEDCR. All the divisions namely Mymensingh, Chottogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Dhaka districts have been covered in this training program. Respective Civil Surgeon Offices of these districts provided management support for organizing these training events.

All these eight training programs were inaugurated by the respective Civil Surgeons of all the eight (8) districts and ninety-three (93) medical professionals from the Upazila Health Complexes attended the training course. Participants includes have been as below by category and number:
Deputy Civil Surgeon   : 02
UHFPO             : 39
RMO           : 04
MO-DC         : 10
Asstt. Surgeon       : 04
Asstt. Registrar     : 01
MO-CSO   : 04
MO-UHC   : 29

The key topics covered in the training program includes:

• Introduction to climate informed hospital emergency preparedness and response plan
• Command & control, communication and safety & security of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Triage, surge capacity and the continuity of essential services in the hospital during emergency situations
• Human resource, logistics and supply management of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Post disaster recovery of the hospital and emergency response plan
• Beneficiary awareness and engagements in response to climate change through client-provider interaction
• Process and steps for changing human behavior to respond for adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

A combined form of methodologies was followed in planning, organizing and conduction of the training program and facilitating sessions that followed the Reflection, Discussion and Synthesis model of training which includes;
- Plenary discussion with question and answer - Group work and group discussion - Visualized display and video presentation - Worksheet exercise in plenary and in groups - Group presentation.
An experiential learning process was adopted to encourage training participants to bring up their own ideas and thoughts while they interacted in plenary and during the group discussions of the training sessions. Throughout the eight batches of training, the participants were found very proactive in asking questions, responding to the issues raised by the facilitators and get interacted between and amongst the participants and facilitators.
There was a good display of their attention in the session discussions, learn from the experiences and taking proactive part in the group discussions that crafted in the post assessment in compared to the pre assessment. It brought out the following scenarios:

Average scores in the pre-assessment: 15.86
Average scores in the post-assessment: 52.26
The above scenario shows that there was a significant increase of 367.33% (3.67 times) in the post-assessment.

An evaluation was conducted at the end of the 2-day training to assess how participants evaluate the training course in respect to the topics of the course, quality of learning process and learning environment, quality of the training methodology and their overall satisfaction over the training course. The evaluation reveals that their average satisfaction level was 8.72 over a scale of 1 – 10 where 1 was for their least rating of satisfaction and 10 was for the highest one.

It is envisaged that this training will sensitize the key service delivery sites at the community level to adopt and bring into practice the Climate Informed Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. This preparedness and response plan will have a direct impact during emergency health service delivery needs out of the effect of climate change. In case of any other health emergencies this preparedness will contribute a lot during such a situation.

Govt sincere in taking country to a unique height jointly with all citizens: IMED Secretary

Secretary, Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), Mr. Abul Kashem Md. Mohiuddin, under the Ministry of Planning said, every citizen is a partner of the country’s development. The government is working to take the country to a unique height with collective efforts of all citizens.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at an awareness workshop on electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) in the conference room of the office of Deputy Commissioner, Chandpur on 2 December 2023.
Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), formerly CPTU, conducted the workshop under the Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAPPP) with the support of World Bank. Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) facilitated it.
Chief Executive Officer of BPPA Mr. Mohammed Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury presided over the workshop. Deputy Commissioner of Chandpur Kamrul Hasan and Superintendent of Police Mohammad Saiful Islam spoke as special guests.
Mr. Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury conducted the question-answer session. He said, “We have progressed a lot in e-GP.”
Dr. Zeenat Sultana, Program Director, BCCP, made a presentation on e-GP. The workshop featured two short videos on e-GP.
To read the full story, please click the link below:
https://cptu.gov.bd/media-communication/news-1436.html

“Promoting public awareness for responsible utilization of government infrastructure facilities stands as a pivotal task”
Mr. Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and Additional Secretary

The promotion of public awareness regarding the responsible utilization of government infrastructure stands as a pivotal responsibility. This was emphasized by Mr. Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and Additional Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh. Mr. Rahman spoke on it while he was addressing at a Communication Action Plan Workshop for the Emergency Multi-Sector Rohingya Crisis Response Project (EMCRP) under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperative.

This workshop held on Tuesday (November 28) at a renowned hotel in Cox's Bazar, Mr. Rahman, as the chief guest, also lauded the government's efforts in developing infrastructure for Rohingya camps and host communities under the EMCRP project, supported by the World Bank. He underscored the importance of community sensitization about utilization of these facilities with care and instilling a sense of ownership among users.

Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) plays a pivotal role in executing various community-based activities as a communication and awareness consulting organization for this project. Abu Hasib Mostafa Jamal, Senior Deputy Director (Program) of BCCP and Team Leader for EMCRP Communication and Awareness Services, delivered the keynote address.

Md. Mamun Khan, Executive Engineer of LGED, Cox's Bazar, who chaired the workshop, highlighted LGED's construction of diverse infrastructures under EMCRP for Rohingya camps and the host community. He emphasized upon the joint responsibility of the community and authorities in utilizing and maintaining these resources, as a part of EMCRP-LGED BCCP is working for this.

This workshop was also attended by the special guests, includes Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Shamsud Douza, Deputy Secretary Dawood Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Secretary Md Sujauddola, and Executive Engineer of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Cox’s Bazar Md Mostafizur Rahman. The Camp-in-Charge (CIC) and Executive Magistrates of several Rohingya camps, UNOs from various Upazila, Upazila Engineers of LGED, government and NGO officials were also amongst the attendees.

In his speech Mr. Douza, the special guest, highlighted the significant improvement in roads within the Rohingya camp areas due to sustainable construction efforts. He emphasized the need for responsible use of infrastructure services and commended BCCP for its professional community awareness work.

These initiatives are part of the 'Emergency Multi-Sector Rohingya Crisis Response Project (EMCRP)' funded by the World Bank under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives.

Health risks, environmental pollution low for IDCOL’s improved cookstoves

Speakers at a roundtable meeting
Considering environmental pollution and health risks, two and a half crore Improved Cook Stove (ICSs) will be replaced in the country by 2030. So far 4 million improved stoves have been replaced. This is checking health risks of women and children as well as reducing environmental pollution.

Mr. Alamgir Morshed, Executive Director & CEO of Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) said this in a roundtable discussion at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday.

The roundtable meeting was held under the theme 'Achieving 100% Clean Cooking Target in Bangladesh: Role of IDCOL’s Improved Cook Stove (ICS) Program' jointly organized by IDCOL and Banik Barta. The Head of Renewable Energy of IDCOL, Mr. Md. Enamul Karim Pavel delivered a special speech.

The keynote article was presented by Md. Abdullah Hell Baki, Unit Head of IDCOL's Improved Cook Stove (ICS) Program. Ms. Sazia Islam, Assistant Scientific Officer of ICDDR,B also delivered a presentation on a research related to IDCOL’s ICS program. As a partner of IDCOL, Bangladesh Center for Communication Proghrams (BCCP) provided overall support for organizing this roundtable. Besides, it arranged publication of news in various national newspapers that helped create awareness among mass people for using ICSs.

Mr. Dewan Hanif Mahmun, Editor, Bonik Barta, Mr. Md. Abdullah Abraham Hossain, Deputy Project Director, Department of Forestry, Dr. Md. Mominur Rahman, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, BUET, Dr. S. M. Asaduzzaman Sujan, Principal Scientific Officer, BCSIR, Dr. M. Rezwan Khan, Professor Emeritus, United International University, Ms. Tanuja Bhattacharjee, Energy Specialist, World Bank, Dr. Md. Ahsan Ali, Executive Director, ASHRAI, Mr. Shahidul Haque, Executive Director, Md. Kamruzzaman, Director, SARPV, Mr. Chiranjit Paul, Sr. Deputy Operative Director, Md. Akter Hamid, Deputy Director, Walton, Mr. Md. Taibur Rahman Bishwas, AGM, Mr. Md. Masud Rana, Senior Manager, RFL, Ms. Sajia Islam, Research Investigator, ICDDRB, journalists from Banik Barta, and an ICS user, Roksana Akter attended.

Alamgir Morshed said that the investment in an ICS is only two to three dollars. What is the role of two or three dollars? It was seen that this two-three dollar investment has a very important social and economic impact. Big things can be achieved with small things.

Dr. M. Rezwan Khan said, “If we can reduce local pollution keeping global pollution levels the same, it will be possible to reduce health costs. The costs for fuel are almost the same as that for inhalers and other drugs combined. The biggest advantage of choosing electric cooking is that we have options. We can install solar PV on rooftops. Switching to electric cooking is profitable.”

“The tree planted now will eventually end its life, and will produce methane even if it’s not burnt. That is why it is not possible to go completely electric cooking. Reducing local pollution is very important considering both local and global pollution and health risks,” he further said.

Dr. Md. Mominur Rahman pointed out the fuel capacity of the stoves made by IDCOL. He said that the capacity of ICSs has now been increased to 35 percent. Whatever we do, it has to be customer-friendly. Their health, economic issues should be more clear. Only then people will be interested.

Alamgir Morshed said, “We expect to become a middle income country soon. Now we don't like clay-made stove in our kitchens. We will go to e-cooking (electronic oven). We have to work with various partners. We will work together with our partners to make e-cooking technology economically viable”.

Mr. Md. Enamul Karim Pavel said, “We have taken an initiative for research and implementation of energy saving projects like, ICS, e-cooking. IDCOL will take this work further by discussing with various stakeholders here. We hope to work more extensively so that customers become interested in using these types of stoves.

Mr. Md. Enamul Karim Pavel delivered a gave the closing speech at the roundtable meeting moderated by Badrul Alam, Chief Reporter of Banik Barta.

“Unified Communication Systems: Bridging the Gap in a Connected World"
Dipa Paul, Senior IT Officer, BCCP

In the world of technology, unified communication systems are essential links that easily join people and data in our increasingly linked society. These systems combine various communication channels, including voice, video, messaging, and data sharing onto a single platform by utilizing technological advancements. This integration has useful implications for both users and organizations, making it more than just a technical achievement.
Improving collaboration is one of the main benefits of Unified Communication Systems. These systems enable teams to collaborate effectively by combining real-time communication tools like video conferencing and instant messaging. It's about destroying challenges and creating a cooperative atmosphere that goes beyond conventional bounds.

Additionally, unified communication systems make a major contribution to increased output. These systems simplify workflows by combining communication tools into a single platform, reducing the need to switch between different applications. As a result of this simplification, time and resources are used more effectively, which eventually increases productivity. It's similar to having all of your communication needs met at one location.

Today's dynamic workplace is marked by flexible schedules and remote work, so having mobility and flexibility provided by unified communication systems is essential. Because users can access these communication tools from a range of devices and locations, there are no physical barriers preventing users from communicating. It doesn't matter where we are at work, at home, or on the go we can still connect and work together.

Another important feature of unified communication systems is cost savings. Organizations can cut expenses related to maintaining multiple standalone systems by combining different communication solutions into a single platform. This consolidation reduces costs associated with employee training on various communication tools in addition to streamlining the budget. It's an economic strategy that takes into account the financial constraints faced by companies.

One important component of unified communication systems is scalability. These systems are scalable, easily able to add new users, features, and technologies as organizations expand or change. The ability to grow without experiencing significant disruptions guarantees that Unified Communication Systems can change to meet the changing needs of enterprises.

In today's data-centric environment, security and compliance are crucial factors to take into account. Sophisticated Communication Systems provide strong security features to mitigate these worries. Access controls and encryption are combined to protect private communication information. Additionally, these systems frequently have compliance tools installed, which guarantee that communication procedures comply with legal requirements. Connectivity alone isn't enough; what's needed is secure, compliant connectivity.

Artificial intelligence (AI) integration elevates Unified Communication Systems to new heights. Intelligent automation, virtual assistants, and natural language processing are some of the features that AI integration brings. This intelligence infusion improves user experience and expedites communication. Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms Unified Communication Systems into intelligent systems that can comprehend natural language queries and automate repetitive tasks.

"Unified Communication Systems: Bridging the Gap in a Connected World" captures the essence of how technology is revolutionizing communication. It involves dismantling organizational silos, encouraging teamwork, and utilizing connectivity to boost productivity and creativity. In our networked world, these systems act as the technological cornerstones, providing a simple, safe, and intelligent communication experience.

Compared to the outdated phone system, UC is frequently credited with boosting worker productivity by facilitating greater communication and teamwork. Furthermore, there is a connection between certain technologies like video conferencing and lower travel expenses, increased productivity, increased flexibility, and improved engagement. Employees can use UC technologies to work from a variety of devices, including mobile phones and desktop and laptop computers, at home, or on the go.

Components of unified communications
The suite of tools that a UC platform might offer includes the following:

• Email
• Text messaging
• Mobility
• Real-time presence
• Telephony (fixed line, mobile and VoIP)
• Voicemail
• Screen sharing
• Audio transcription & Audio conferencing
• Video conferencing, room-based video conferencing
• Calendars, scheduling, and other personal assistant functions; and
• Enterprise social networking and collaboration platforms.

Efficient Unified Communications (UC) guarantees increased interaction across a globally distributed workforce. It dismantles barriers between corporate teams, ensuring universal access to a secure system regardless of the location.
To sum up, UC encompasses

• Messaging (persistent chat)
• Voice and video calling
• Meetings
• Team collaboration (channels) and
• File sharing.

The Benefits of Unified Communications

• Better productivity: Teams have the flexibility to communicate using any device or medium of their preference, in a manner that aligns with their optimal approach.
• Lower expenses: Unified Communications (UC) systems empower businesses to transition from a Capital Expenditure model to an Operating Expenditure strategy, offering reduced initial expenses as they operate on the cloud.
• Improved output: Workers can instantly collaborate and communicate, facilitating swift resolution of customer issues and elevating your company's reputation.
• Improved user experience: An effective Unified Communications (UC) strategy has the potential to boost employee satisfaction and potentially reduce turnover by enabling greater independence in work for employees.
• Flexibility and Mobility: UC allows employees to work from anywhere and on any device, promoting flexibility and accommodating the needs of remote or mobile workers.
• Improved Customer Service: Quick and efficient communication among employees enables faster response times, leading to enhanced customer service and satisfaction.

In essence, "Unified Communication Systems: Bridging the Gap in a Connected World" encapsulates the transformative impact of technology on communication. It's about breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, and leveraging the power of connectivity to drive efficiency and innovation. These systems serve as technological linchpins, offering a streamlined, secure, and intelligent communication experience in our connected world.

Unveiling deeper understanding about INTERNET: the Surface, Deep and Dark web
Md Mizanur Rahman, Manager (IT), BCCP

The Internet is a vast, interconnected network of computers and other devices that spans the globe, allowing them to communicate and share information seamlessly. It is a decentralized and distributed network, comprising millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks. The primary purpose of the Internet is to facilitate communication, information sharing, and the delivery of various online services.

submarine cables are fundamental to the global internet infrastructure . Submarine cables are specialized fiber optic cables laid on the ocean floor to establish communication links between different continents. These cables carry vast amounts of data in the form of light pulses, enabling global connectivity.

Bangladesh is connected to the global internet through multiple submarine cable systems, including SEA-ME-WE 4 (Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4) and SEA-ME-WE 5. These cables provide the country with high-speed and reliable internet connectivity.

Mysterious Side of the Internet -Different Layers of the Internet:
The mysterious Side of the Internet has 03 different layers as; surface web (4%), deep web (90%), and dark web(6%). The breakdown provides a conceptual view of the layers within the mysterious side of the internet, emphasizing the hidden and often secretive nature of the deep and dark web compared to the more accessible surface web.

1. Surface Web:
The surface web, also known as the visible or indexed web, comprises the part of the internet that is easily accessible and indexed by search engines. This layer includes websites and content that are publicly available and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. Examples of surface web content include news websites, educational resources, blogs, e-commerce platforms, and various other sites that search engines can crawl and index. Users can find this information through search engine queries, making the surface web the most used and widely known layer of the internet.

2. Deep Web:
The deep web refers to the portion of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires specific credentials or access to reach. Unlike the surface web, which is accessible to the public, the deep web includes content that is hidden behind security measures such as passwords, login credentials, or paywalls. Examples of deep web content include private databases, subscription-based services, email accounts, and other protected information. While the deep web is not inherently illegal or secretive, its hidden nature makes it less visible to the average internet user.

3. Dark Web:
The dark web is a small, intentionally hidden part of the deep web that is often associated with illegal activities. It requires specialized software, such as Tor (The Onion Router), to access, as well as specific web addresses ending in ".onion." The dark web provides users with a high degree of anonymity, making it a haven for illegal markets, hacking forums, and various illicit activities. While the dark web does host some legitimate and privacy-focused services, it has gained notoriety for its association with criminal endeavors, including the sale of drugs, hacking tools, stolen data, and other illicit goods and services.

Bangladesh stands at a key stage where ensuring food safety and security, encompassing not only food but also the main crops cultivated by Bangladeshi farmers, has emerged as an important priority. The nation's advancement depends on priority to the well-being of its population, with access to safe and nutritious food serving as a basis for societal welfare. Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative effort from diverse stakeholders, including communities, policymakers, and development communication organizations.

Community mobilization forms the core for fortifying food safety and security. Empowering local communities and farmers with knowledge and resources holds immense significance in enhancing agricultural practices, ensuring proper food handling, promoting hygiene, and cultivating a culture of safe food consumption. Educating farmers about sustainable agricultural practices and enlightening consumers about food branding and storage are pivotal in safeguarding public health.

Equally important is the advocacy for policy reform to establish an environment conducive to ensuring food safety standards. Collaborative efforts involving government bodies and relevant stakeholders are imperative to formulate and implement robust regulations. These policies should encompass comprehensive measures to monitor the entire food production, transportation, and distribution channels, thereby minimizing contamination risks and guaranteeing the availability of safe food for all with affordable price.

Amid these initiatives, the role of development communication organizations cannot be overstated. Media platforms possess significant potential to disseminate vital information, heighten awareness, and instigate behavioral changes among communities. Through targeted campaigns, educational programs, and compelling content, media entities can effectively amplify the message of food safety, reaching a wide cross-section of the population and encouraging responsible food practices.

Furthermore, closing the gap between rural and urban populations regarding food safety awareness is paramount. Efforts must focus on ensuring equitable access to information and resources across diverse demographics, leaving no segment of society behind in this crucial endeavor.

Collaboration emerges as the hub in this pursuit. A cohesive partnership between communities, policymakers, and development communication entities is essential for bringing about tangible change. By synergizing their efforts, these stakeholders can create a ripple effect that enters every aspect of society, laying the groundwork for a safer and more secure food landscape in Bangladesh.