Diplomatic Correspondent

Faqir Mahbub Anam, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology of Bangladesh, has delivered the welcome address on behalf of 12 countries involved in an inter-regional project at the 2026 United Nations Public Service Forum (UNPSF) held in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Speaking on Thursday at a special session, the Minister emphasized experience sharing, institutional capacity building, and mutual partnership among the countries of the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Asia-Pacific regions. He expressed special gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Korea, its Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Information Society Agency (NIA), UNDP, and the Astana Civil Service Hub for their support in implementing this project.

In his speech, the Minister pointed out that the failure rate in the global digital transformation journey hovers around 70% to 80%. He stressed that there is no alternative to sharing mutual experiences to overcome this massive risk. He noted.

"Peer-to-peer and South-South Cooperation are not just accessories to development, but a core component of development itself. A successful solution in one country can inspire innovation and progress in another."

Highlighting this year's forum theme, "Transforming Public Institutions: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion," the Minister elaborated on three core pillars:

Innovation: Innovation must be purposeful. It should not merely change technological tools but fundamentally revolutionize the institutional methods of public service delivery.

Accountability: Without accountability, digital transformation cannot earn public trust or bring about lasting institutional change.

Inclusion: Emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), must work to bridge the digital divide rather than widen inequality.

Highlighting Bangladesh's advancements, the Minister stated that a citizen-centric digital transformation process is underway under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the ICT Division. To meet citizen expectations, Bangladesh is adopting a 'Service Delivery Maturity Model' and a 'Product Management Approach' for faster execution. Alongside technological changes, work is ongoing to shift the mindset of government officials and build Transformational Leadership.

Addressing the current significance of AI, the Minister stated that while AI offers immense opportunities to enhance the efficiency and quality of public services, ensuring AI Governance, transparency, and fairness is critical. Bangladesh is currently partnering with the UNDP to explore the practical applications of AI in public service, policymaking, and sandboxing. Concurrently, within its limited resources, Bangladesh is actively focusing on AI sovereignty, responsible usage, bias elimination, and institutional readiness.

Key Bilateral Engagements and Strategic Breakthroughs

On the sidelines of the forum, the Minister held three high-level bilateral meetings with H.E. Vandeth Chea (Minister of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia), Mr. Vusal Rustamov (Executive Director of the ASAN Innovations Centre, Azerbaijan), and Mr. Alikhan Baimenov (Chairman of the Astana Civil Service Hub, Kazakhstan).

During these meetings, the Minister highlighted Bangladesh’s citizen-centric digital milestones achieved through a2i and sought international partnerships for the next phase of modernization based on AI and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The meetings secured several visionary achievements:

Bangladesh-Azerbaijan Partnership: The two nations agreed to establish a sustainable, structured bilateral cooperation agreement. By leveraging Azerbaijan's world-renowned 'ASAN Service' and Bangladesh's integrated digital service platforms, this partnership will strengthen Bangladesh's citizen-centric service delivery and DPI.

Bangladesh-Cambodia Digital Exchange: A joint framework is being developed to extend technological services to the grassroots level and integrate AI into government operations. This technical knowledge exchange and study visits will be conducted under the auspices of the UNDP and international platforms.

Global Support for a New Innovation Agency: In a major breakthrough during the meeting with the Astana Civil Service Hub (Kazakhstan), a decision was reached to establish a brand-new 'Innovation Agency' in Bangladesh, building upon the successes of a2i. The Astana Hub will provide technical and strategic assistance in setting up the agency, conducting research, and developing modern leadership training for government officials.

Summary of Core Achievements:
Through these high-level meetings, Bangladesh has not only secured international recognition for its digital achievements but has also paved the way for robust global partnerships and technical assistance to construct future smart governance through 'AI in Governance' and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

In conclusion, the Minister reiterated the commitment to mutual learning and collective progress on behalf of the 12 participating countries, wishing for a productive and inspiring forum.