Today, social media transcends its traditional role as mere communication media. Rather, it serves as a pivotal instrument for augmenting collaborations between government entities and citizens, fostering responsive governance, enhancing transparency and accountability, optimizing service delivery, and actively engaging the populace in the public governance process. Social media platforms catalyze significant transformations across various domains of human activity. They have become an indispensable facet of both individual and collective existence. In contemporary society, interpersonal relationships are increasingly supplanted by social media networks, which facilitate discourse on ethical and political concepts. The functionalities of everyday life, including employment searches, opinion sharing, and romantic engagements, have been profoundly altered through the integration of diverse social media platforms. However, when contextualized within a broader framework of power dynamics, the novel configurations of social media may not seamlessly integrate with the public sector via established professional, organizational, and institutional paradigms.
The proliferation of new information and communication technologies has engendered an unparalleled abundance and dissemination of information among the populace in Bangladesh. This phenomenon has catalyzed a more accountable government in Bangladesh, which is now inclined to extend fundamental rights to its citizens. Consequently, Bangladesh, as an emerging nation, has embarked on initiatives to leverage this aspect of ICT (Information and Communication Technology), specifically social media, to expedite the national decision-making process, enhance the performance of government officials across all echelons, and amplify public participation in various endeavors. Thus, citizens are becoming accustomed to utilizing these contemporary information technology tools, which are highly pertinent to the general populace. This engagement enables ordinary individuals to interact with governmental structures at multiple tiers concerning governance matters, thereby providing valuable contributions to decision-makers (a2i, 2018).
Notwithstanding the breadth of research indicating that public organizations in Bangladesh tend to underutilize social media, there exists a notable deficiency in investigations concerning the underlying motivations for social media utilization within the public sector for public relations purposes. The remarkable proliferation of social media usage in Bangladesh is fundamentally altering the modalities through which individuals communicate with one another, as well as with both public and private institutions. The individual and organizational adoption of social media is experiencing rapid escalation within the nation. Despite the increasing number of public organizations that are integrating social media platforms, the phenomenon of social media adoption within the public sector remains a relatively under-explored area of inquiry in the national context.
Only a limited number of studies have examined the determinants that influence the acceptance or rejection of new technologies within public organizations in Bangladesh. In an investigation focused on the utilization and acceptance of social media among agricultural extension workers at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), it was discovered that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness emerged as the most significant factors influencing the DAE staff's acceptance of social media for executing their professional responsibilities.
The official from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) identified social media as a mechanism for enhancing professional efficacy, including the dissemination of agricultural information; mobilizing support for novel agricultural policies; establishing networks with clients and colleagues; and facilitating the coordination of services rendered by peers. Current scholarly insights into the rationale behind public sector organizations' adoption of social media remain inadequate. This scarcity is attributable to the limited scope of organizational-level investigations concerning social media adoption and research that emphasizes the distinctive attributes of public sector organizations within the Bangladeshi context. Given the significance of citizen engagement and the collaborative capabilities afforded by online social media platforms, it is imperative to examine the decision-makers involved in the choice to adopt such tools for citizen engagement. In Bangladesh, there is a discernible increase in the utilization of social media by public sector entities. At present, numerous national organizations engage with social media, utilizing predominant platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn; however, there exists a paucity of comprehensive assessments regarding the extent of social media adoption and the factors influencing it.
A multitude of elements contribute to the adoption of social media in Bangladesh. These elements encompass the accessibility of mobile internet technology, the low cost of internet bandwidth, an increase in educational attainment, governmental policy support, rapid urbanization, and economic advancement. Social media is being swiftly integrated within the public sector for purposes of information dissemination, service provision, and maintaining communication with citizens. Consequently, it has become an essential component of public sector communication. The utilization of social media in Bangladesh exerts a significant influence on the service delivery system and the interaction between government and citizens. Government organizations employ Facebook pages and groups to engage with the public in innovative ways; enhance internal communication; and promote service innovation, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving. It has been observed that over 800 governmental organizations maintain a presence on social media through their official Facebook pages/groups, while a select number of organizations have established blogs and YouTube channels.
It is noteworthy that Bangladesh is among the few Asian nations employing Web 2.0 tools within the public sector for communication and information dissemination. It is anticipated that by 2021, Bangladesh will establish a comprehensive ICT network designed to facilitate high-speed information flow between decision-making centers, from which directives will be relayed electronically to action centers to actualize intended operations. Concurrently, the government expresses concern regarding the digital divide, which may result in the formation of new socio-economic classes comprising individuals with access to ICT and those without. In this context, a program known as Access to Information (a2i) has been operational since 2007, aimed at fostering the development of a digital nation by delivering services directly to citizens. The opportunities presented by social media usage prompted a2i to engage in this domain in 2009 with the launch of the Union Digital Centre (UDC) Blog.
The extensive acclaim garnered by the UDC blog precipitated the establishment of departmental blogs across five significant directorates. Following a period of four years, governmental entities commenced the utilization of Facebook by inaugurating an open Facebook group entitled “Public Service Innovation Bangladesh” in September 2013. Presently, 150 thousand government officials and over 100 thousand citizens engage with one another consistently through more than 800 public Facebook pages and closed groups. The principle of good governance can significantly contribute to economic and social developmental collaboration. Bangladesh stands to gain from the implementation of e-governance within both internal governmental frameworks and the public sector, ultimately facilitating socio-economic advancement. Nevertheless, numerous organizations within Bangladesh's public sector have yet to adapt their operations to incorporate the use of social media platforms or to investigate the potential benefits of such phenomena in fostering trust, engagement, and a credible reputation. Nonetheless, Bangladesh is characterized by a low level of Internet penetration, although a substantial online community is progressively emerging. This online community exhibits a proactive response to socio-economic and political challenges.