Dhaka: Ensuring cyber security within Bangladesh’s banking sector remains a major challenge ahead of the upcoming national elections, stated Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology. Addressing a seminar titled ‘Cyber in Financial Sector of Bangladesh: Security in Digital Future’ at a city hotel, Taiyeb highlighted that only 17 to 20 banks have satisfactory cyber-security ratings.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Taiyeb warned about increasing threats, including financial crimes, gambling, outdated software, vulnerabilities in file transfer protocols, DDoS attacks, and risks to data centers. The seminar was jointly organized by the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) and the EDGE Project under the ICT Division.
Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser at the Ministry of Finance, emphasized the importance of strengthening public-private partnerships to enhance cyber-security awareness and resilience. Financial Institutions Division Secretary Najma Mobarek called for improved coordination between banks’ IT and business units, while National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan suggested enhancing tax collection through improved data exchange with banks.
Representatives from BRAC Bank, IFIC Bank, and City Bank also contributed insights on addressing technical issues within the sector. With ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury presiding over the event, senior officials and stakeholders from the ICT and financial sectors were present.
Speakers at the seminar unanimously agreed that robust cyber-security measures are crucial not only for digital advancement but also for maintaining public trust and the financial system’s stability.