Bangladesh - National Innovation Agency (2023)

Overview

The Agency to Innovate (a2i) Act 2023 establishes a statutory national innovation agency to institutionalise Bangladesh’s long-standing a2i (Access to Information / Aspire to Innovate) programme and to accelerate public-sector digital transformation. Passed by the Jatiya Sangsad on 5 July 2023, the Act provides the legal basis for an autonomous body governed by a Board and Executive Committee and empowered to implement technology-driven programmes, manage funds, protect IP arising from public research, and form subsidiary companies when necessary. For the official agency description and subsequent SROs implementing the Act see Agency to Innovate (a2i) — National Portal / ICT Division.

Definitions

The Act defines core terms used in the statute including "agency", "board", "executive committee", "funds", "innovation programmes", and "company" (permitted to be formed by the agency to achieve statutory objectives). Definitions align the organisational scope to public-sector innovation activities and authorise transfer of programme assets and responsibilities from previous a2i project arrangements. The Act distinguishes between policy, programmatic and commercial activities, while granting enabling powers for each; precise statutory definitions and their operational interpretation are detailed in the Act text and implementing rules.

Governance and Institutional Framework

Governance is central: the Act creates a Governing Board (15 members in the parliamentary debates and press summary) chaired by the ICT Minister, and an Executive Committee responsible for day-to-day operations. The Board’s responsibilities include approving strategy, policies, budgets, audited accounts, and major partnerships; the Executive Committee implements Board decisions and manages staff and operations. The law grants the Board rule-making authority to adopt financial management and operational rules (see the subsequent a2i notice on Fund Operation & Management Rules, 2024). The agency is to be autonomous but accountable: it must submit annual reports, audited financial statements and programme performance reports to the sponsoring ministry and to relevant parliamentary oversight committees. Where the agency forms a Company, the Board determines governance safeguards and conflict-of-interest policies to prevent unfair competition with the private sector.

Key Focus Areas

The Act’s operational mandates cover a broad set of focus areas: (1) citizen-centered digital public services and service simplification; (2) promotion of an innovation culture within government and society; (3) research, development and technology demonstration for public welfare; (4) public awareness and demand-generation for advanced technologies; (5) intellectual property protection for publicly-funded innovations; (6) capacity building for public servants and ecosystem actors; (7) partnerships with industry, academia and international organisations to elevate a2i to international standards; and (8) stewardship of flagship digital platforms initially created under the Access to Information and a2i programmes (e‑Nothi, National Portal, Muktopaath, etc.). These priorities respond to Bangladesh’s Vision 2041 and medium-term planning objectives and were highlighted in parliamentary debate and sector press coverage (see reporting in The Business Standard and The Financial Express).

Implementation Framework

Implementation is to be delivered through a mix of internal programmes, externally-funded projects, and partnerships. The Board and Executive Committee may approve project pipelines, grant programmes, procurement, and partnerships; rules issued under the Act (e.g., Fund Management Rules, 2024) provide detailed procedures for fund mobilisation, accounting, budgeting and procurement. The agency is authorised to form companies where necessary to execute contractual or commercial activities that further the agency’s objectives; this power has been controversial with private industry groups who called for revision (see Financial Express">Financial Express commentary).

Monitoring and Evaluation

Accountability mechanisms include mandatory annual reporting, independent financial audit, and performance monitoring consistent with government audit and oversight bodies. The Act empowers the Board to adopt monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks; implementing rules and subsequent government notifications specify reporting timelines and audit procedures. The agency’s programs are subject to normal public audit and parliamentary scrutiny; the Act anticipates coordination with IMED (Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation Division) and other oversight entities where projects are government-funded.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

The Act primarily establishes administrative and financial accountability rather than criminal sanctions. It contemplates penalties and remedial measures for misuse of funds, governance failures, or contractual breaches under standard public finance rules; specific penalty amounts or criminal offences are typically left to the implementing rules or general law (e.g., public finance and anti-corruption statutes). Provisions on dispute resolution, appeals against administrative decisions and liability of board members or staff follow existing public sector norms; any staff disciplinary measures and appeals will be processed under the agency’s internal rules and applicable civil service law.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The a2i Act operates alongside and interacts with sectoral laws and regulations including the Information and Communication Technology Act, the Cyber Security Act (2023), existing data-related instruments and any future Data Protection Act. It also aligns with government policies under Vision 2041 and the 20-year Perspective Plan. The agency’s digital platforms and services must comply with sectoral regulations (telecom, cybersecurity, data protection) and coordinate with agencies such as the Bangladesh Computer Council and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology; official information on agency responsibilities and coordination is available on the agency’s site at a2i.gov.bd.

International Alignment

The Act includes an express mandate to pursue regional and international cooperation to raise a2i to global standards and to provide support to other countries where appropriate. This international orientation supports collaboration on development projects, adoption of international best practices for digital public goods, and alignment with global norms on innovation, IP protection and digital governance. The agency is positioned to work with multilateral partners (e.g., UNDP) and bilateral donors to mobilise technical assistance and financing for capacity building and cross-border initiatives.

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References