DHAKA: Google Bus Bangladesh, powered by Google, has made its journey for the first time in the country aiming to increase internet use among the students.

State minister for Information and Communication Technology ministry Zunaid Ahmed Palak inaugurated the service at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in city at 11:00am on Wednesday.

The project aims to arrange workshops on internet use among the students in 500 colleges and universities at 35 places across the country.

Palak, in his speech, said people can be benefited by using internet in education, health and business sectors along with online communications.

He further said that internet use should be increased in the country to establish ‘Digital Bangladesh’.

According to the minister, about 23,500 multimedia classroom and three thousand laboratories have been setup in the country.

The government has plans to raise the number of multimedia classrooms to 80,000 by next year, he added.

Regarding the newly-launched Google Bus service, Palak informed the media that it will visit 4-5 educational institutions everyday. The number will gradually rise, he hoped.

James MacClure, head of Google’s Emerging Markets in Asia-Pacific region was also present at the inaugural ceremony.

Terming Bangladesh an emerging country, he said that the country has talented youth force that can bring it to the IT-based global village.

He added that the bus will provide services at the selected educational institutions in the divisional headquarters and other important towns in the country.

According to the organizers, the students will get opportunity to learn about the use of internet and online-based commercial projects as well.

They will also get 3D internet connections in the bus to communicate with their known people.

The organizers hope that this service will enrich the knowledge of students about the online communications and also about the way of using Google products and services.

BDST: 1344 HRS, NOV 12, 2014