The Dhaka University Medical Centre is scheduled to open at 8:00am. As a student of the university, I went to the medical centre at 8:20am on May 30. I did not find any doctor or clerk. After waiting for about 25 minutes, I decided to return to my dormitory. Then I noticed a complaint box, inscribed with the instruction: "Apnar Ovijog Box E Felun" (put your complaint into the box). Meanwhile, a girl student also arrived at the medical centre. I suggested to her that we formally record our complaints about the absence of doctors and relevant others at the centre. She agreed. As we dropped our complaints into the box, I saw a clock hanging on the door of the box. It seemed that this box was not opened for a long time -- maybe, in the last six months. That day I, along with the girl student, stayed at the medical centre till 8:35am but could not find any doctor. This is the regular scene here!

This culture of getting late is observed not only in our medical centre but everywhere -- in government and private offices, social, cultural and political events. On top of all, the Jatiya Sangshad, during the last session, sat late everyday. A report of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) says that on average there was a delay of 40 minutes every morning. It costs Tk 35,000 per minute for the maintenance of the parliament.

Unless we get rid of this ruinous habit of getting late and learn to be punctual, there is no hope of materialising the dream of Digital Bangladesh.