Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Mr. Junaid Ahmed Palak said that artificial intelligence (AI) will make life easier for people but it is a big threat to civilization.
He said that the government is going to enact laws to deal with the challenges of technology, especially the adverse effects of AI. Also, new broadband policies will be formulated by 2024 to define internet speed of 20 Mbps as broadband and make the internet affordable and accessible.
The State Minister said these things in the speech as the chief guest at the function organized by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology under the initiative of the Department of Posts and Telecommunications on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2024 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Friday (May 17). For the first time in Bangladesh this year, it has been organized with the aim of celebrating the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day with the participants of the public and private sectors of the telecommunication and ICT sector, including the Department of Posts and Telecommunications and the Department of Information Technology.
Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology State Minister highlighted the significance of World Telecommunication and Information Union Day celebration and said that Bangabandhu obtained the membership of ITU in 1973 and included Bangladesh in the world of information and communication technology by establishing Geo satellite Center at Betbuniya despite standing on the ruins of war.
Referring to the World Telecommunication Day on May 17 as a historic day for the national life, the State Minister said, "we would not have had this Bangladesh today if we had not taken the bold and visionary program like the Digital Bangladesh program in 2008 under the plan of the Architect of Digital Bangladesh, Mr. Sajib Wazed." Mr. Palak said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had the foresight to provide Internet connectivity in the country through V-sat, to end the monopoly business of mobile phones by granting licenses to three mobile companies and to bring mobile phones within the reach of common people and to withdraw VAT tax from computers in the financial year 1998-99.
The amazing success of the telecommunication and information technology sector in the past years has made Bangladesh one of the leading countries in the digital world, he said, under the visionary and wise leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the economy of Bangladesh has reached great heights beyond the poverty line. He said, 15 years ago the export income in the IT sector was only 26 million dollars. Currently it stands at 1.9 billion dollars.
Stating that Bangladesh has reached a major milestone in the information technology services (IT) export sector, the State Minister said that 400 establishments in the information technology sector are exporting Bangladesh digital services to 80 countries around the world.
Earlier, the State Minister released commemorative postage stamps on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day and distributed prizes among the winners of the essay and debate competitions organized to celebrate the day.
Later, an active network memorandum was signed between mobile operator Robi and Banglalink in the presence of the State Minister.
Post and Telecommunication Division Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman presided over the event, Information and Communication Technology Division Secretary Md. Samsul Arefin, Post and Telecommunication Division Additional Secretary A, K, M, Amirul Islam, Chairman and CEO of Bangladesh Satellite Company Dr. Shahjahan Mahmud and Chairman of BTRC Engineer Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed spoke.