Google Maps with Street View can improve lives

Dhaka, Feb 10 (risingbd24.com)--Google, a worldwide e-networking media, has partnered with Access to Information (A2I) Programme of the Prime Minister’s Office to introduce Google Maps with Street View to Bangladesh aiming to help Bangladeshis and foreign visitors view and experience the country.

The launch of Google Maps with Street View to Bangladesh took place at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel in Dhaka Saturday.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader attended the ceremony as the chief guest while Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Secretary of Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and National Project Director of A2I Programme Md. Nazrul Islam Khan attended the ptogramme.

Director General (Admin), PMO and Project Director of A2I Programme Kabir-bin-Anwar, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations at Google Asia Pacific, Ann Lavin, Head of Emerging Markets at Google Asia Pacific, James McClure, were also present.

Google will now begin driving Street View cars in Dhaka and Chittagong to collect images for Google Maps with Street View. By bringing Street View to Bangladesh, Google Maps hopes to help foster the country’s economic development, provide Bangladeshis with more relevant online map services, and raise awareness among the people and thus help the country emerge as a destination for global tourists.

Street View is a popular feature of Google Maps, already available in more than 40 countries. It allows users virtually explore and navigate a neighborhood through panoramic street-level images.

In countries where Street View is available, users can access street-level imagery by zooming into the lowest level on Google Maps, or by dragging the orange “Pegman” icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street.

Starting today, Google cars specially fitted with cameras and bearing the seal of approval from the Prime Minister’s Office, will begin driving and taking street level photographs of public locations across the country including Dhaka and other major cities around the country.

This activity represents a long-term investment with the objective of capturing imagery across Bangladesh over the next few years, an initiative widely supported by Bangladesh.

"Google is delighted to work with Bangladesh to launch cars of Street View in Dhaka and Chittagong. We believe that Street View imagery of Bangladesh will create new ways to view Bangladesh’s bustling streets and by doing so, help attract both foreign investment and tourism,” Ann Lavin, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations at Google Asia Pacific said.

"By providing users and businesses alike with more useful map information, Street View can also help create lasting economic impact in Bangladesh. We are excited to share the 360-degree panoramic imagery of Bangladesh on Google Maps when the imagery launches at a later date,“ he added.