Digital security to be big challenge in building 'Smart Bangladesh': Jabbar

Posts and telecommunications minister Mustafa Jabbar has said digital security will be a big challenge in building a "Smart Bangladesh."

"If we fail to combat this challenge, it could boomerang against us," he said while speaking at "Smart Connectivity for Smart Bangladesh" organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB) Thursday.

"Financial gambling on the internet has become a concern as a growing number of fraud cases are being reported every day. So, we need to sensitise people about the good and bad sides of technology," Jabbar said.

Broadband connectivity in villages would be the key to building the infrastructure for a Smart Bangladesh, he also said.

While presenting the keynote speech, telecom expert TIM Nurul Kabir suggested the BTRC oversee the quality of all service providers instead of monitoring telecom operators only.

Sumon Ahmed Sabir, chief technology officer at Fiber@ Home, said: "If we want to make our education and health sectors smart, we need to see where we stand now and where our connectivity level needs to be taken."

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder was also present at the event chaired by TRNB president Rashed Mehedi.

TRNB general secretary SM Masuduzzaman Robin and Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh president Md Emdadul Hoque were also present.