Dhaka, Bangkok to work closely on digital nation vision
Joint Working Group on telecom cooperation to be created
UNB
Bangladesh will work closely with Thailand in realising their common visions for digital nations and universal access to mobile phones and internet for secure and peaceful societies, reports UNB.
State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim said this to her Thai counterpart Dr Uttama Savanayana during a bilateral meeting in Bangkok yesterday morning. Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem was present during the meeting, according to a message received here.
Briefing the Thai ICT minister about Bangladeshs relentless journey towards a digitalised and knowledge-based modern IT nation, Tarana highlighted that the present government has enhanced mobile phone penetration from 15 to 85 per cent and internet usage from 10 to 35 per cent towards realising its Digital Bangladesh vision.
She also briefed of the governments successes in digitalisation through e-governance and e-commerce up to upaziala levels and creating a niche export market in the Wests IT outsourcing industry.
Tarana invited Thai telecom sector investments to infrastructural development of state-owned mobile phone service provider Teletalk in upgrading the existing telecom networks, and sharing of best practices in womens access to mobile technology and reforms in cyber security regulation through technical cooperation.
Commending Bangladesh for its innovative development successes the Thai ICT minister said, Bangladeshs developmental successes can be emulated regionally specially in micro-financing, financial inclusion and womens empowerment.
Dr Savanayana also shared Thailands master plan for a Digital Economy up to village levels and smartphone to all the citizens, and expressed his countrys willingness to work together with Bangladesh in the field of cyber security regulation and policy.
The two ministers agreed to create a Joint Working Group on telecommunications sector cooperation towards signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Bangladesh.
During a two-day visit to Thailand, Tarana Halim also met the Secretary General of Asia Pacific Telecommunity in Bangkok and discussed a number of areas of cooperation, including cyber security, special project on empowering women through ICT and hosting of upcoming 17th South Asian Telecommunications Regulations Council Meeting (SATRC-17) in Dhaka on October 2016.
APT Secretary General Areewan Haorangsi agreed to circulate Bangladesh Telecom Ministers proposals to host the 8th APT Cyber Security Forum (CSF-8) in Bangladesh in 2017 and regulatory reform in cyber security issues in the upcoming SATRC meeting.
