Mr. KM Abdus Salam, Senior Secretary of Jatiya Sangsad as the guest of honor, said that the journey of digital Bangladesh started by the present government in 2009, the benefits of which have reached all the people of the country.

Pointing out that Bangladesh has made significant progress in the digital sector in the last 10 years, he said that if the current trend of digital transformation continues, the vision of creating a smart Bangladesh by 2041 will be implemented on time.

Bangladesh NGOS Network for Radio and Communication Chief Executive Officer Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman was present at the opening ceremony, BTRC Vice Chairman Prof. Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed, Commissioner of Legal and Licensing Department Abu Syed Dilzar Hossain, Commissioner of Spectrum Department Prof. Sheikh Riaz Ahmed and Finance.

Commissioner of Accounts and Revenue Department. Among others, Mushfiq Mannan Chowdhury, Secretary General of Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum, Mr. Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu, editor of opinion-based news portal Views Bangladesh, Mr. Rashed Mehdi, Country Representative of Asia Foundation Bangladesh.

Kazi Faisal Bin Siraj, Secretary General of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators Bangladesh Lt. Colonel (Retd.) Mohammad Zulfikar.

BTRC Legal and Licensing Department Commissioner Abu Syed Dilzar Hossain, BTRC Systems and Services Department Director General Brig. Gen. Md. Khalil-ur-Rahman, Executive Editor of Dainik Amader Shomoy Mr. Mainul Alam, Associate Professor of Law Department of Jagannath University Mr. Khair Mahmud, Professor Shah Alam Chowdhury of Dhaka International University, Assistant Professor of North South University Dr. Zulkarin Jahangir, Article-19 South Asia Senior Program Officer Rumki Farhana.

In the discussion, the speakers said that most of the upazilas of the country have been brought under the high-speed fiber optic cable to bring all the people of the country under connectivity and to bring the benefits of digital transformation to the doorsteps of the people.

In the discussion, the speakers emphasized network coverage, uninterrupted speed internet, availability of smart devices and data prices, and building digital infrastructure. They also opined that sustainable internet facilities, meaningful use of internet and research in this sector are very important.

In a session on “Internet is becoming a human right in smart Bangladesh”, Mr. Khair Mahmud; Presented the main article. Jagannath University Law Faculty Associate Professor Dr. Mr. Mahmood in his original article mentions that using the internet is a human right these days and has become a human right in many countries.

The state should not limit this right. Many countries have adopted this as a fundamental right and incorporated new laws. Two-panel speakers addressed the session. Mrs. Rumki Farhana, Senior Program Officer, Article 19 South Asia and Dr. Zulkarin Jahangir, Director, A2I and Assistant Professor, North South University.

Ms. Rumki points out that we need information for informed decision-making, support, protest and protection. Now that is not possible without Internet. It is important to provide internet for everyone.

Dr. Zulkarin mentioned in his speech, that when we say Internet rights, what does it mean? Is it just for everyone to get or access information/data? Or bring people under the Internet network? We should have a logical justification, which can distinguish group from group or community from community.

Mr. Mainul Alam, executive editor of Daily Amder Shomoy spoke as an honored guest at the conference. Mr. Alam mentioned in his speech, that without internet we are not in a position to generate information. All news media, print or electronic are dependent on the internet. Sometimes misinformation and misinformation mislead us.

So having cyber security and controls is essential. The media has a role to play in protecting and preventing misinformation. It is the responsibility of the government to make the rules. However, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to implement them.

In the Chief Guest's speech, Commissioner Mr. Abu Syed Dilzar Hussain said that the keynote presentation was very clear, researched and informative. He said, that according to the current needs and changes in the world, we have to change our laws.

The Digital Act was enacted in 2001 and has been amended recently. Many British laws in Bangladesh are changing according to current needs and demands. He also said that the internet is necessary in daily life. It is important to ensure a safe internet for all its users. He said that 62 percent of people in Bangladesh use smartphones.

Bangladesh has licensed 15 phone companies to manufacture smartphones to make phones affordable for people here. Now these companies have met 90 percent of the smartphone demand in the country. Mr Hussain pointed out that misinformation, misconceptions and social taboos sometimes confuse the youth.

We have developed a safe internet usage guide for everyone, including a safe internet for young people and children. We have also developed cyber security regulations. This will reduce misinformation on social media.

He hopes BIGF will play an important role in including the Internet as a fundamental right. Mr. Mostafa Jabbar, Hon'ble Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Department of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was present at the inauguration ceremony and Mr. Shyam Sundar Sikdar, Chairman (Senior Secretary) of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) presided over.

Mr. KM Abdus Salam, Senior Secretary of Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat, was present as the guest of honor. Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) Secretary General Mr. Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu delivered the welcome speech and View Bangladesh Editor Mr. Rashed Mehdi; The guest speaker was Dr. Qazi Faisal Bin Siraj, Country Representative, Asia Foundation, Bangladesh and Lt. Col. Mohammad Zulfikar (Retd.), Secretary General, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB).

The moderator of the inaugural session was Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) Chief Executive Officer AHM Bazlur Rahman. Women's technical knowledge is essential in using the Internet Despite the increase in the number of Internet users in the country, the use of information technology is very limited.

Experts say that it is important to ensure maximum use of information technology if Bangladesh is to move forward on the highway of the fourth industrial revolution. At the same time, the participation of women, knowledge of rich technology, and security will be ensured.

The speakers of the seminar said these things in the discussion of the third annual Bangladesh Women Internet Governance Forum 2023, a joint initiative of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BRTC) and Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) at Agargaon in the capital.

PID Deputy Information Officer Nasreen Jahan Lipi called for the inclusion of marginalized women for effective use of the Internet and increasing knowledge in Internet use.

She said information means power. If women can use Facebook and YouTube, why not have positive use of the Internet? In the speech of the chief guest, a Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Postal Telecommunication and ICT, Aparajita Haque, MP said that the government has taken various steps to ensure the safety of women using the Internet.

But these are not effective enough. The government has taken initiatives to store data domestically to reduce dependence on foreign data stores. She also said that after a few days machine-based AI or artificial intelligence will control everything, and we have to prepare for it.

We need to prepare from now on, keeping in mind the various challenges involved in entering the huge platform of the Internet world. She said, we have various obstacles in entering the vast technological world.

For this, there must be a strong cyber security group, but she also expressed optimism that positive achievements will be possible in the maximum use of information technology by encouraging people to use cyber.

Brigadier General Khalil Ur Rahman, Director General of System and Service Department of BTRC, said that digital literacy is very important in the development of information technology.

There is Internet connectivity in the country, but without knowledge of usage, the use of information technology will not increase. Noor e Nusrat said in a written speech at the seminar urging to increase the involvement of women with information technology, that if information technology-dependent employment and new information ideas are given, it will be helpful to create a rich technical knowledge-dependent women's society.

Sierra Perry, Manager of Communication and Online Community APNIC joined the online seminar from Australia. She said, there is an opportunity to be skilled through various fellowships to increase more skills in information technology. In this case, there is an opportunity to get those fellowships in different streams.

Bangladesh Women Internet Governance Forum chairperson Shamima Akhtar presided over the session. Bangladesh Women Internet Governance Forum Vice-Chairperson Ms. Jannatul Bakeya Keka welcomed the participants. She said that the women of Bangladesh have proved that they can take all responsibilities and contribute to all development initiatives.

Tashmi Chowdhury, Joint Editor, of Bangladesh Women's Internet Governance Forum moderated the meeting. Noor-e-Nusrat Zereen, Assistant Professor of the English Department at Stamford University Bangladesh, in her keynote presentation, pointed out that women are not behind men.

Women are now engaged in all professions. Women's participation in internet governance is a great example of women's development and empowerment. Rural women need to access the internet and learn how to use it. Mr. Saif Rahman, Chief Operations Officer, Gennext Technologies Limited, noted that Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in the digital and internet sectors.

Many countries follow Bangladesh. He said the government is developing a curriculum, providing research grants and working to ensure cyber security. He also mentioned that Bangladesh is creating its own cloud called Meghna Cloud.

Sharmin Israel Tanya, Joint Editor, Bangladesh Women Internet Governance Forum presented its progress in the last 3 years. Zakia Akhtar, Manager and Team Lead of Customer Support and Technology, Bracknet said, “We provide Internet services to all types of people.

We are not facing any problems in the corporate sector, but we face a lot of challenges for the common people as the common people are not focused on using the internet. Bangladesh Supreme Court advocate Sohana Tahmina said in her speech, that we need to empower grassroots women and make them use the internet.

Women can do anything given the chance. We should create opportunities for them. Mr. Khan Mohammad Kaiser, DGM, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) and Mr. Azhar H Chowdhury, Chief Operating Officer, ADN Telecom Limited addressed the session as panel speakers.

Mr. Azhar H. Chowdhury said that Bangladesh has made significant progress in the Internet sector in the last 10 years. We have come a long way since the launch of 4G. We need to improve and expand rural connectivity.

Now 4G facilities are required equally in all areas. Khan Mohammad Qaiser, DGM, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), said the cost of the Internet is higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

A commission headed by BTRC needs to look into the matter. Special guest Brig. General Md Ehsanul Kabir, Director General, Engineering and Operations Department, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said 4G has covered 96% of the geographical area of Bangladesh. 3G will not come out anymore.

Now 4G will be more advanced. BTRC is making more efforts to ensure stable internet across the country. The One Country One Rate initiative will be further reviewed. Chief Guest Engr. BTRC Commissioner Sheikh Riaz Ahmed mentioned in his speech that BTRC is using Bangabandhu satellite or internet service.

He said we reduced 300 packages to 40 packages. Now the service is easy to use. He said we are moving from 4G to 5G. Now smartphones are being produced in our country which fulfill more than 60% of demand. Now anyone from a rural area can use the internet for many essential services like passport, admission, money transfer etc.

The sustainability and development of the Internet require the collective efforts of all. Accountability of social media platforms Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University.

Md. Minhaj Uddin, Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Jagannath University participated in the main discussion under the chairmanship of SM Shamim Reza. He said we are now living in two worlds, one real world and another virtual world.

Bangladesh has 12.61 crore internet subscribers and 11.40 crore mobile phone internet users. 60 million people use Facebook. He noted that fake news spreads six times faster than true news. We need to know how to fight fake news.

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) presented his speech on the Governance of Digital Platform. He said that governance is very important in the global context. We cannot control social platforms without the support of all world leaders.

We must have our own safety and security strategy. He suggests that BTRC can take initiative to make our internet users safer. Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-ur-Rehman, NDC, Director General, Systems and Services Division, BTRC, said we are trying to provide internet and a stable service for all.

Chief guest Dr. Musfiq Mannan Chowdhury, FIDM, FCIM, Commissioner, BTRC said that the use of technology is very important. Must know how to use technology. There has been a lot of research on social media over the years. He said that the use of social media in marketing is a very popular type of media.

It's marketing for business. Social media gives us freedom and influences us in many ways. We must learn how to use it to our advantage. Meaningful and Sustainable Internet Management This session was moderated by BNNRC and BIGF Research Fellow Hiren Pandit.

Mr. Md. Zobair Al-Mahmood Hossain, President, of the Bangladesh System Administrators Forum (BDSAF) discussed various issues of internet connectivity as the keynote speaker. Mr. Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu, Secretary General, Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF).

Mr. Mubarak Hussain, CEO, of Plexus Cloud, discussed the recent Khawaja Tower fire and the vulnerability of our Internet and emphasized how to maintain a meaningful and sustainable Internet system by deploying robust alternative servers, especially not all in one place. Dr. as an honored guest.

Mohammad Shafiul Alam Khan, Professor, IIT, University of Dhaka We all have to try to make this internet system sustainable. Together we are moving towards Smart Bangladesh from Digital Bangladesh. We also have to work from everyone's place.

Brigadier General Mohammad Moniruzzaman Jewel, PSC, Director General, Spectrum Division, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, in his special guest speech, said that through concerted efforts, we also have to overcome the problems.

We need to maintain a meaningful and sustainable internet system with everyone including our mobile operators. Bangladesh Road to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - 2024 Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) moderated the session and delivered the keynote presentation.

Mr. Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu, Secretary General, of Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) discussed the three-day event. The guest of honor was joined virtually from Geneva, Switzerland by Anya Gengo, NRI Focal Point and Associate Program Specialist, UN Secretariat of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

She discussed Japan's Kyoto IGF and UNIGF 2024 and the Summit of the Future to be held next year. She also praised Bangladesh IGF communities. Joining virtually from Delhi, India was Mr. Samiran Gupta, Vice President, of Government & IGO Engagement Asia Pacific and Stakeholder Engagement for South Asia, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

He said that ICANN is working with BIGF. He expressed his determination to work more intensively in the future. The Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh, Mr. Helal Hakimi was present at the ceremony.

The chief guest at the meeting was Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-ur-Rahman, NDC, PSC, TE, Director General, Systems and Services Department, BTRC is working on internet governance in the future and how to effectively and sustainably bring the internet to people's doorsteps and work is underway to accelerate the progress of Smart Bangladesh.

Covid has also taught us a lot. We cannot return to the old world. We need to work together to bridge the generation gap and digital divide. The three-day 18th BIGF was declared over by the distribution of certificates at the end of the ceremony.