Cyber Synergy: Experts Explore Security and Sovereignty at ‘Cyber Security Symposium 2025’

Over a hundred IT experts and engineers gathered in Dhaka’s Mohakhali on Saturday, October 25, for a daylong conference on information security titled “Cyber Security Symposium 2025.” The event, organized by the Bangladesh System Administrators Forum (BDSAF), took place on the 12th floor of the Advanced Noorani Tower at the office of software company Brain Station 23.

The third edition of BdSaf’s annual symposium was themed “Resilience through People, Technology & Trust” — emphasizing the creation of cyber resilience through human capacity, technology, and trust. The program featured ten technical sessions, a panel discussion, and a series of keynote presentations from leading technology experts.

Discussions throughout the symposium focused on information security, cyber awareness, and strategies for building digital sovereignty through local engineering expertise. The closing session was scheduled to be graced by the Secretary of the ICT Division, Shish Haydar Chowdhury, as the chief guest.

In the morning, under the chairmanship of BdSaf President Md. Zobair Al Mahmud, cybersecurity specialist S. M. Rubayet Islam conducted an in-depth session on the modernization of Security Operation Centers (SOCs) and advanced threat hunting. Another technical session, led by A. K. M. Nurul Alam of Tech Novelty Limited, explored strategies for planning and managing IT infrastructure security.

Senior General Manager of mobile operator Ruri Aziator, Saminul Islam Torofdar, discussed shared cloud infrastructure usage and the development and management of secure cloud boundaries.

In the afternoon, a panel discussion titled “AI vs Fraud: Redefining Cyber Defense in Bangladesh’s Data Protection Era” featured Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) Executive Council Member and Fiber@Home Deputy General Manager & Chief Information Officer Suman Ahmed Sabir; renowned IT professional and entrepreneur Shayrul Haque Zowardar Neel; Associate Director of Robi Axiata Ltd. Sanjoy Chakraborty; and Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Nabil Ahmed Khan. The session was moderated by BdSaf General Secretary Mohibbul Moktadir Tanim.

Throughout the day, technical sessions were conducted by cybersecurity professionals from telecommunications, banking, and software industries. Speakers included Muhammad Abul Kalam Azad, Head of Information Security, Eastern Bank PLC; Rakibul Hasan, Chief Technology Officer, Link3 Technologies; Ruskin Pal, Head of Security Operations Center, Grameenphone; Md. Mizanur Rahman, Chief Technology Officer, Brain Station 23; SP Khaleda Begum from Bangladesh Police; Major (Retd.) S. M. Al Maymun, Head of IT Network & Security Operations, Banglalink; and Anwar Hossain, Solution Architect, Brain Station 23.

Speaking about the symposium, BdSaf President Md. Zobair Al Mahmud reaffirmed his commitment to collaboration in the IT sector, saying, “BdSaf will continue to work to enhance cybersecurity skills among IT professionals to meet the growing demands of the digital era.”