Empower
Chittagong Hill Tracts

Smart Digital Inclusion & Indigenous Economic Resilience Program

Program for Digital Inclusion and Enhancing the Economic Capacity of Indigenous Communities in Remote Hill Areas.

A large portion of the remote and marginalized communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts cannot fully benefit from the digital economy because of geographical distance, limited financial capacity, gaps in technology use, and limited market connectivity. Kisti is working with an integrated business and social-impact-based model.

To establish the smartphone not merely as a means of communication, but as an effective tool for education, agriculture, business, markets, information, and income.

See how it works View the pilot

500+

families already reached with zero-downpayment smartphones

2,000

pilot families in Bandarban

3

districts: Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari

12–24

months pilot duration

Vision & Mission

Vision:

"Building an inclusive digital economy in the remote hills of Bangladesh." To build an inclusive and sustainable local economy by connecting the remote communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts with technology, information, markets, and economic activities.

Mission:

Increasing the accessibility of smartphones for communities in remote areas. Connecting farmers with digital agricultural information and services. Expanding markets for hill agriculture, *Jhum* produce, handicrafts, and local products. Linking technology with income generation and economic empowerment.

Existing Problem

Several interrelated problems exist in the development of the remote areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Digital Access Gap

One-time financial limit for smartphones and essential digital devices.

Digital Skills Gap

Despite owning smartphones, there are limitations in effectively using them for government services, agricultural information, online business, and digital transactions.

Agricultural Information Gap

Failure to receive timely information regarding agriculture, pests and diseases, weather, and market prices.

Market Access Gap

Limited direct access to national markets for local agricultural produce, Jhum products, and handicrafts.

Economic Opportunity Gap

Opportunities for technology-based income generation and entrepreneurship are limited for young people and women.

Proposed Solution by Kisti

Kisti has proposed the implementation of an integrated digital economic empowerment model.

Access → Skills → Income → Market → Empowerment

Five pillars, one journey

From a phone in the hand to a stable income. Each pillar builds on the one before.

Smart Device Access

Zero down payment, easy installments, needs-based smartphone financing with responsible customer selection and repayment monitoring.

Digital Literacy

Smartphone and internet use, online government services, digital payment, cyber safety and online learning.

e-Agriculture

Crop information, disease alerts, weather and market prices, linked to agriculture experts and government extension services.

e-Commerce & Market Linkage

Jum produce, fruit, bamboo and cane goods, and handicrafts made by hill women, taken to wider markets online.

Digital Entrepreneurship

For women and youth: online business, F-commerce, digital marketing, product photography, customer management.

"We do not simply finance smartphones; we finance access to opportunity."

Kisti's Business Model

Based on Business Sustainability + Social Impact. The project can grow into a sustainable business model in the long term rather than relying only on grants.

Smartphone Financing → Device Receipt → Installment Repayment → Revolving Capacity → New Financing

What makes Kisti different

Traditional model

Phone → Installment → Customer

Kisti proposed model

Phone → Digital Skills → Agriculture / Business Information → Market Access → Income Opportunity → Economic Empowerment

Empower CHT

Empower Chittagong Hill Tracts