Dhaka: Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam today sought stakeholders' cooperation and suggestions to finalise three cyber-related laws, stressing the need for strong laws and public awareness to protect people from cyber invasion. He made the remarks at a press conference held at the ICT Division Conference Room marking 180 days of the BNP government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Faqir Mahbub Anam, who is also the Science and Technology Minister, stated that the Cyber Security Act, Personal Data Protection Act, and National Data Management Act had been approved by the National Parliament. "We want to discuss these further with the stakeholders and turn them into final laws," he said.
He emphasized the necessity for robust laws and public awareness in protecting people from cyber invasions, especially considering the current social media content. "Especially, we need your cooperation and suggestions on what our children should watch or how much they should watch," he added, calling for constructive criticism to ensure societal welfare and proper guidance for children in the digital age.
The minister also highlighted the launch of an integrated platform for providing startup grants at an event titled "Tarunyo Startup and Promising Bangladesh" held at Dhaka University with the Prime Minister present. A Tk 500 crore grant fund was formed, indicating substantial support for technological innovation.
Further developments were noted with broadband internet connections being provided to 19,822 institutions and the completion of 15 Upazila Service and Information Technology Training Centres. Additionally, Tk 7 crore had been invested in three technology-based startups, and Startup Bangladesh Company Limited had launched a Fund of Funds.
In support of accessibility, a Bangla screen desktop and mobile version for visually impaired people had been developed, and a Disaster Recovery Centre was completed at the Software Technology Park in Jashore. The minister also mentioned the organization of the National High School Programming Competition, the launch of a Cyber Instant Reporting System, and a National ICT and Cyber Security Ready System.
The minister announced the organization of the National Cyber Drill 2026 and the completion of the pilot for the National Response Data Exchange (NRDEX) Platform. Additionally, he mentioned the government's flagship project "One Citizen, One ID, One Digital Wallet," stating, "The DPP of this project will be completed very soon, and I hope we will be able to take it to a stage within the next six months."