Bangladesh on trajectory towards cashless economy: Palak

Bangladesh is now on the trajectory towards a cashless economy as the country's workers have turned into efficient professionals, and the farmers have become smart agriculturalists, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said.

He made the remarks while addressing as the chief guest a seminar on "Smart Bangladesh and Cyber Security", jointly organised by the iDEA Foundation and Hoplon Ltd at the Bangabandhu Military Museum Hall in the capital on Wednesday.

Palak highlighted four key components for robust cybersecurity – heightened awareness and training, rigorous law enforcement, technological advancement, and international collaboration.

Additionally, the state minister emphasised that the construction of a Smart Bangladesh hinges on four fundamental pillars – the cultivation of smart citizens, the development of a smart economy, the establishment of a smart government, and the fostering of a smart society.

Furthermore, he said that the implementation of a National Digital Architecture would effectively mitigate instances of data theft.

Addressing as special guest, ICT Division Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin said that data centre, cyber security, and digital signature are three basic things for cashless and paperless infrastructure development.

"Cyber security is extremely important, and to protect it, national and international ICT departments are relentlessly working. Along with government data centres, private centres can also play a vital role in it," he added.

Delivering the keynote presentation, the founder and CEO of Technohaven Company Ltd Habibullah N Karim stated that to address the existing challenges in cyber security awareness training programmes must be implemented.

He also underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector, and the necessity of prioritising investments in cybersecurity, particularly in the realm of research and development.

Presiding over the seminar, Kazi M Aminul Islam, chairperson of iDEA Foundation and executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, said, "In order to build smart Bangladesh, it is absolutely needed to secure cyber security. To generate awareness, iDEA foundation has been relentlessly working."

He mentioned that the issue of cyber security should be taken seriously by recruiting skilled and qualified manpower so that the country's citizens do not have to face any problems like other countries.