Bangla Email Breakthrough: Bridging the Digital Divide

To build a multilingual and inclusive internet in Bangladesh, Bangla email was officially launched on the occasion of the 3rd Universal Acceptance (UA) Day. The celebration took place on Tuesday, April 15, at the conference center of the BTRC building, featuring a technical workshop and a special conference. BTRC Chairman Major General Md. Emdad Ul Bari unveiled the Bangla web address বিটিআরসি.বাংলা and his personalized Bangla email, marking the full activation of the বিটিআরসি.বাংলা domain. This allows users to create email addresses in Bangla script for the first time.

The event was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF), the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Attendees included representatives from government, industry, academia, media, and civil society. Discussions focused on advancing digital inclusion through the use of Bangla domain (.বাংলা), email addresses (@বাংলা), and localized digital identities.

In his keynote speech, BTRC Chairman Emdad Ul Bari said, "Mother tongue is the best medium for communication. Expressing oneself in a foreign language becomes complex, especially when it comes to abstract and socio-cultural matters. Civilization and technology help preserve language, but there is no alternative to research. A Bangla AI LLM should be developed so that everyone can upload content in Bangla easily. To preserve language, we must bridge the connectivity gap and increase tech usage. Ultimately, Bangla must have a strong presence in global technological communication."

Special guest Brigadier General Shafiul Azam Parvez, BTRC Director (Engineering & Operations), also addressed the event, while ICANN Vice President Samiran Gupta and Board Director Md. Sajid Rahman joined virtually.

Samiran Gupta noted, "Multilingual internet is crucial for those weak in English or other foreign languages. Since BTRC and BIGF are prioritizing UA, ICANN is ready to provide technical support. We have arranged a 16-hour inclusive training program."

Sajid Rahman added, "Though the internet was created to connect all, it has now become a driver of the digital economy. Language and culture are very important. If we want an inclusive digital future, the internet must be Bangla-friendly for rural people."

BIGF Secretary General Mohammad Abdul Haque Anu gave the welcome speech. Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, ICT advisor and assistant professor at Jahangirnagar University, presented the keynote. BTRC Deputy Director Dr. Shamsuzzoha highlighted technical aspects of Universal Acceptance. Champika Wijayathunga, ICANN's Asia Pacific Technical Engagement Manager, conducted a hands-on training session on UA, IDNs, and EAI virtually.

Mamunur Rashid emphasized the necessity of enabling multilingual content, interfaces, and access in the digital world. He stated, "Currently, 49.2% of web content is in English, followed by 6% in Spanish and 4.5% in French, which limits access for speakers of many other languages. Since AI models are mostly English-focused, it's vital to launch Bangla domains so marginalized communities can engage with the internet in their native language."

Dr. Shamsuzzoha mentioned, "In 2026, new top-level domain allocations will begin, presenting opportunities for local engineers and entrepreneurs. Joint public-private efforts must drive the development of Bangla tech. Awareness must be matched with technical skills."

BTC’s Domain Division Manager Mostafa Al Mamun outlined technical challenges of UA. Mahfuzur Rahman of Amber IT shared his experience using the .বাংলা domain on Linux platforms. They pointed out that Bangla script must be converted from Punycode in DNS servers and raised concerns over cyber risks. It was noted that Linux still lacks Unicode support for Bangla and that Gmail flags Bangla emails as spam, requiring major efforts in software engineering.

In his concluding remarks, BTRC Commissioner (Engineering & Operations) Brig. Gen. Iqbal Ahmed (Retd.) thanked the organizers and participants for promoting technical literacy and understanding the importance of digital addresses.

BIGF Chairperson Mohammad Aminul Haque, in his closing speech, said, "If we can develop platform-friendly Bangla content, the digital divide will reduce, and the internet will be used for productive purposes."

Notably, Universal Acceptance ensures that all valid domain names and email addresses function equally across all internet-enabled applications, regardless of language, script, or length. As Bangladesh moves toward a language-centric, inclusive digital ecosystem, the significance of UA Day continues to grow, emphasizing the importance of Bangla interfaces and equal internet access for expatriates and all linguistic communities.