Staff Reporter:
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday directed the National Cyber Security Agency to ensure all types of cyber security ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections and the referendum.
“Centering the upcoming elections, we have to enhance our information technology capabilities and strictly combat all types of cybercrime,” he said.
Prof Yunus, also chairman of the National Cyber Security Council, gave the directives while presiding over a meeting of the Council at the State Guest House Jamuna in the capital, Chief Adviser’s Press Wing said yesterday.
Noting that the government is trying to bring all types of citizen services to online platforms, he said many services are already being provided online at home and abroad.
“To ensure these services remain secure and uninterrupted, it is essential to strengthen cyber security,” the Chief Adviser said and instructed the authorities concerned to attach special importance on sectors relating to provide citizen services.
He said, “Organizations, including cyber security agencies, that will adopt cyber security measures have to regularly update their software and hardware. In addition, the manpower associated with these systems will also have to be made more efficient”.
He instructed the National Cyber Security Agency to play an effective role, alongside the judiciary, to ensure that no one involved in crimes in the financial sector can be spared.
Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Tech-nology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb informed the meeting that 35 institutions have already been enlisted as Criti-cal Information Infrastructure (CII) and suggested that more institutions be included in the list.
He stressed on coordination between the National Cyber Security Agency and the Bangladesh Telecom-munication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to prevent rumors, misinformation, disinformation and oth-er cybercrimes centering the upcoming elections.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur said several measures have already been taken to further strengthen cyber security in the banking sector, with additional initiatives currently underway.
Besides, he praised the initiative to establish sectoral CERT.
Member Secretary of the National Cyber Security Council and Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency Dr Md Taibur Rahman presented a PowerPoint briefing outlining the agency’s activi-ties, future action plans, and details of the “Cyber Incident Reporting and Response System” developed for receiving and processing complaints regarding crimes committed on cyberspace.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, ICT Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam and National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan were present at the meeting, among others.
Following the promulgation of the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 on May 21 this year, the National Cyber Security Council was formed on August 26 to ensure cyber security for state institutions and citi-zens under the amended ordinance.
The 25-member council is headed by the Chief Adviser of the interim government.
