Member of the Parliament Kazi Nabil Ahmed has called upon all member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) to reaffirm their commitment “to bridging the digital divide, enhancing digital literacy, and ensuring robust cyber security frameworks”.
“We would work together to build resilient digital infrastructures, promote innovation, and create an enabling environment that supports digital entrepreneurship and empowers our citizens,” the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, said.
He was inaugurating the two-day Bimstec Regional Consultation Meeting on the Global Digital Compact at the Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka on Saturday.
Amandeep Singh Gill, the UN secretary-general’s envoy on technology, Indra Mani Pandey, secretary general of the Bimstec Secretariat, Ambassador Abdul Motaleb Sarker, director general of Saarc and Bimstec, and representatives from Bimstec member states attended the event.
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar are the members of Bimstec.
Kazi Nabil emphasized the need for collaboration to harness the transformative power of digital technologies for the collective good of the Bimstec region, which is home to over 1.7 billion people.
With more than 50% of the population under the age of 30, the region stands poised to leverage a demographic dividend for economic growth and development.
While internet usage has been rapidly increasing, he said, significant disparities in digital access and literacy persist, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Kazi Nabil highlighted that the digital revolution offers unprecedented opportunities from enhancing connectivity and fostering innovation to driving economic growth and improving service delivery.
However, challenges including issues of digital divide, cyber security, and data privacy remain.
The Global Digital Compact represents a crucial initiative to promote a shared vision for an open, secure, and inclusive digital future.
“It is through such multilateral efforts that we can establish common principles and standards that ensure the benefits of digital transformation are equitably distributed and that no one is left behind,” he said.
What is Global Digital Compact?
Following the political declaration adopted at the occasion of the United Nations’ 75th anniversary in September 2020, the secretary-general in September 2021 released his report Our Common Agenda.
The Common Agenda proposes a Global Digital Compact to be agreed at the Summit of the Future in September 2024 through a technology track involving all stakeholders.
The Global Digital Compact is expected to “outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all”.
Kazi Nabil said: “By leveraging our collective strengths and fostering closer collaboration, we can play a pivotal role in shaping the Global Digital Compact.”
Bimstec Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey said the negotiations and consultations on the Global Digital Compact have been making “steady progress”.
“The Bimstec member States have been participating in the negotiations and consultations at the United Nations and have been contributing to the evolution of GDC,” he said. “There are immense opportunities for us to work together.”
He said the two-day consultation is structured around five objectives of the Compact: closing all digital divides and accelerating progress across the Sustainable Development Goals; expanding inclusion in the digital economy: access to digital technologies; fostering an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space; advancing equitable international data governance, and governing emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, for humanity.
The secretary-general said the Bimstec countries are committed to realizing sustainable and inclusive development through leveraging digital technologies.
They have set the goal of digital transformation and have taken numerous steps to achieve that goal. The progress has been uneven in view of the challenges they face in utilizing digital technologies, he noted.
For example, he observed, there are issues related to access due to digital divides across regions, gender, income, and language.
“There are issues related to data – with many developing countries being at the risk of being at the risk of becoming providers of raw data while having to pay for the services that their data helps to produce; and there are issues related to data security, ownership, privacy, governance and regulation,” he said.
Bangladesh example for Bimstec
Kazi Nabil highlighted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s initiative “Digital Bangladesh” and said: “Bangladesh stands as a testament to the transformative power of visionary leadership and strategic policy implementation.
“The initiative has significantly improved internet penetration, digital literacy, and e-governance, ensuring that millions of people, particularly in rural areas, can access essential services online,” he said.
“This vision is now evolving into Smart Bangladesh, which aims to further integrate advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and big data into our national development strategy,” Kazi Nabil added.
He invoked the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, whose vision of a society rooted in equality, justice, and progress can guide efforts to eliminate digital inequalities.
“By ensuring that everyone, particularly our young population, has access to digital tools and opportunities, we can uphold Bangabandhu’s legacy and drive our region towards inclusive growth and prosperity,” he said.
“Together, we could build a digital economy that not only drives prosperity but also upholds our shared values of equity, justice, and respect for human rights,” he said.
