India’s IT minister stresses on bolstering cooperation with Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak (2nd R) and India’s Electronics and Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw hold MoU two parties signed in New Delhi on 26 April 2022BSS

India’s Electronics and Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday underlined the need for further strengthening cooperation in IT sector between Bangladesh and India to cope with the present technology-based modern world, reports BSS.

“Both the neighbouring countries can further bolster cooperation and collaboration in reaping mutual gains of emerging technologies and digital economy,” he said during a meeting with Bangladesh’s State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak at his office in New Delhi.

Palak, who is now on an official visit to New Delhi to attend the 7th round of Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics began on Monday. He would attend the event as a panelist on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the Indian IT minister Vaishnaw lauded Bangladesh’s outstanding achievements in ICT sector made under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh State Minister for ICT highlighted the success of the Digital Bangladesh initiative, a brainchild of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and mentioned four priority areas of PM’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy towards building a developed and tech-savvy Bangladesh.

The areas include artificial intelligence, special robotics, microprocessor chip design and cybersecurity.

Later, two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Bangladesh and India were also renewed with an extension for a period of five years in order to continue the excellent bilateral cooperation in the areas of information technology and cybersecurity.

The MoU on information technology and electronics focuses on strengthening cooperation in various areas, including e-governance, m-governance, e-public service delivery, research, development and innovation, developing Start-Ups, capacity building and sharing best practices.

The other one includes exchange of information on cyber-attacks and cybersecurity incidents, cybersecurity technology cooperation, cybersecurity policies and human resource development in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each country and on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefits.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran and Telecom Secretary of India K. Rajaraman singed the MoUs on behalf of the respective sides in the presence of the two ministers.