Cybercrime experts in govt offices

Plan stuck in limbo for 4yrs

Limited progress has taken place in recruiting a designated cybercrime professional in all government offices, including ministries, departments and divisions, even though four years have elapsed since the undertaking of the project by the government.

So far, no designated cybercrime professional has been recruited in government offices. However, a number of training sessions and workshops have been conducted, in which around 50 IT professionals received training on the government’s rules and regulations.

Earlier, in 2015, as part of a Tk. 560 crore World Bank (WB)-funded project, ‘Leveraging ICT for Growth, Employment and Governance (LICT)’, a plan was undertaken to recruit a cybercrime expert in each of the 227 departments under 58 ministries. The plan had been adopted at a time when the country is becoming more vulnerable to cyber attacks with the growing use of mobile phones and the internet.

Tarique M Barkatullah, deputy director of LICT, claimed that some progress had been made in recruiting a designated cybercrime professional in every government office. “Under the LICT project, over 50 IT professionals received training in the National University of Singapore and ESI Training Institute of India. Those trained professionals are now providing services in different government offices on an ad hoc basis,” he said.

He, however, admitted that no designated IT official has been permanently recruited in any government office.  “Government recruitment needs to follow certain procedures. It takes time,” he said.

Barkatullah also said there were a serious need for a designated cybercrime prevention official in every government office. The country has witnessed high-profile security breaches over the last few years, he added.

In 2017, the websites of Bangladesh Police and Rapid Action Battalion were hacked. In the last two years, 26 other government websites had been hacked.

Aside from the hacking of government websites, there are other cybercrimes too, said Barkatullah.  “The number of internet users has increased in the country in the last couple of years. The connectivity among the people has also increased. With greater connectivity comes a host of privacy and security issues,” he added.

Barkatullah said that to increase e-governance, senior officials in all ministries and their respective departments have been asked to get more actively involved in social media. With this increased digital involvement, the government offices have become more vulnerable to cyber attacks. “That’s why under this project, we sent letters to all government ministries and offices for nominating a cybercrime prevention official in each office,” he added. “I hope the bureaucratic formalities in recruiting those officials will be over soon,” he said.

Cybercrime experts in govt offices

Plan stuck in limbo for 4yrs

Limited progress has taken place in recruiting a designated cybercrime professional in all government offices, including ministries, departments and divisions, even though four years have elapsed since the undertaking of the project by the government. So far, no designated cybercrime professional has been recruited in government offices. However, a number of training sessions and workshops have been conducted, in which around 50 IT professionals received training on the governments rules and regulations. Earlier, in 2015, as part of a Tk. 560 crore World Bank (WB)-funded project, Leveraging ICT for Growth, Employment and Governance (LICT), a plan was undertaken to recruit a cybercrime expert in each of the 227 departments under 58 ministries. The plan had been adopted at a time when the country is becoming more vulnerable to cyber attacks with the growing use of mobile phones and the internet. Tarique M Barkatullah, deputy director of LICT, claimed that some progress had been made in recruiting a designated cybercrime professional in every government office. Under the LICT project, over 50 IT professionals received training in the National University of Singapore and ESI Training Institute of India. Those trained professionals are now providing services in different government offices on an ad hoc basis, he said. He, however, admitted that no designated IT official has been permanently recruited in any government office. Government recruitment needs to follow certain procedures. It takes time, he said. Barkatullah also said there were a serious need for a designated cybercrime prevention official in every government office. The country has witnessed high-profile security breaches over the last few years, he added. In 2017, the websites of Bangladesh Police and Rapid Action Battalion were hacked. In the last two years, 26 other government websites had been hacked. Aside from the hacking of government websites, there are other cybercrimes too, said Barkatullah. The number of internet users has increased in the country in the last couple of years. The connectivity among the people has also increased. With greater connectivity comes a host of privacy and security issues, he added. Barkatullah said that to increase e-governance, senior officials in all ministries and their respective departments have been asked to get more actively involved in social media. With this increased digital involvement, the government offices have become more vulnerable to cyber attacks. Thats why under this project, we sent letters to all government ministries and offices for nominating a cybercrime prevention official in each office, he added. I hope the bureaucratic formalities in recruiting those officials will be over soon, he said.