Staff Correspondent

 Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology Faqir Mahbub Anam has stated that securing cybersecurity is essential to maintaining secure, uninterrupted, and citizen-friendly government operations.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on. "Cybersecurity and Data Protection" at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday, the minister emphasized the urgent need to bolster technical capacity, institutional coordination, skilled manpower, and policy frameworks to safeguard government data, Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), and digital services. The seminar was themed "Cybersecurity for Resilient Digital Government: Strategic Awareness for Policy-Makers, Senior Civil Servants, and Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) Leaders."

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is rapidly advancing toward digital transformation," Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam stated. "From digital banking and mobile financial services to the 'One Citizen, One Identity, One Wallet' platform, our reliance on digital infrastructure is growing. While this creates new opportunities, it also exposes the nation to escalating cyber threats."

Outlining three key priorities, the minister stressed that cybersecurity must be integrated into the foundational design of Critical Information Infrastructure rather than treated as an afterthought. 

The minister urged the National Cyber Security Agency to formulate a clear roadmap to implement the seminar’s outcomes before declaring the event officially open.

 Adviser to the Prime Minister Rehan Asif Asad stated that safeguarding digital sovereignty has become as critical as defending physical borders.

Presided over by Information and Communication Technology Division Secretary Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, the session featured a welcome address by Bangladesh Computer Council Executive Director (Additional Secretary) Nahid Sultana Mallik and opening remarks by Ingrid Toonekurg, representative of Estonia’s e-Governance Academy (eGA). A representative from the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh attended as a special guest.

Organized under the EU-funded project "E-ffective Governance: Accelerating e-government and digital public services in Bangladesh," the seminar convenes domestic and foreign cybersecurity experts, policymakers, senior civil servants, and CII leaders.