President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday stressed the need for taking integrated initiatives both at national and international levels to deal with the risk of global cyber attacks.
“Recently, there have been cyber-attacks in about 150 countries, including some developed ones, putting security at risk…newer strategies and innovative technologies must be developed for ICT security to keep the development process, trade and investment free from hackers,” he said.
The President was addressed a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
The Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry arranged the event marking the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2017.
President Hamid said the advancement of ICT has not only accelerated the country’s development, but also increased challenges for all.
“If proper security and protection of data cannot be ensured, the level of risk will scale up, resulting in the collapse of the country’s finance and banking institutions, trade and investment entities and service sector,” he said. The President said all concerned must be more aware of secrecy, security and control of data in all institutions for the protection of information and data.
Hamid said these days telecommunications and ICT have become an integral part of every stage of life in today’s world-society, politics, economics and culture. “All should move ahead keeping pace with the global trend to get involved with knowledge-based societies.”
Observing that people now live in a globalised society because of the tremendous advancement of ICT, he said
‘big data’ are playing a positive role in taking decisions in running governments and carrying out trade and commerce, social, economic and cultural activities. “And it’ll also play a complementary role in achieving development goals at national, regional and international levels.”
About ICT abuse, he said the ICT has brought pace in development on one hand and its misuse is harming people, societies and states on the other. “We must take very active and effective measures to prevent the misuse of ICT. So, necessary legal instruments should be formulated, technological steps should be taken, awareness must be created and human resources should be developed. We also must take proper initiatives to protect our own social and religious values, culture and uniqueness,” Hamid said.
Highlighting the progress in ICT, the President said government initiatives are not enough to reach its benefits to the doorsteps of the country’s 16 crore people. Local ICT entrepreneurs must come forward to supplement the government efforts, he added.
Hamid also released commemorative stamps at the programme.
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry Imran Ahmad, Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood, among others, spoke on the occasion.
