Today (Sunday) May 17 is World Telecom & Information day
May 17, 2020 is the World Telecommunication and Information Union Day. This year's theme for the day is 'Integration 2030: Information and Communication Technology in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)'.
The Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the BTRC like the 193 member states of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a member of the United Nations, have been observing the day through various programs every year. However, due to the global pandemic of corona this year, the day's activities will be limited to online and radio and electronic media campaigns.
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mustafa Jabbar and BTRC Chairman Zahurul Haque have given necessary directions to all concerned. To mark the day, the ITU will host a virtual dialogue next Monday (May 18) from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm where the advancement of technology in the next 10 years to achieve sustainable development goals and potential challenges will get the priority.
In a message on the occasion of the day, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that new technologies such as 5G, Big Data, Cloud Computing and artificial intelligence could be a powerful tool in tackling any urgent challenge in the world, including the global pandemic.
He added that information technology could also serve as a beacon of hope for connecting billions of people around the world. During a global pandemic of coronavirus (Covid-19), it is more important than ever to maintain contact with loved ones, schools, colleges, workplaces, healthcare workers and the delivery of daily necessities. World Telecommunication and Information Day reminds us that international cooperation in information technology is essential in tackling global epidemics including coronavirus and achieving a sustainable development agenda by 2030.
In another message, ITU Secretary General Haulin Zhao said that half of the world's population is not using the Internet. As a result, the overall growth of global information technology is progressing very slowly. So a concerted effort is needed to engage all people in the global digital economy. He called for harnessing the potential of information technology to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and prevent technological inequality.
New technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and block chain will also contribute to the prosperity of human life as well as social and economic development. Zhao also believed that international cooperation in information technology is essential to combat coronavirus.
The International Telegraph Union was established on May 17, 1865 with the signing of the International Telegraph Convention in Paris, France. The International Telegraph Union and the International Radio Telegraph Union, founded in 1906, later became known as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). World Telecommunication and Information Union Day is been observed every year since 1969.