Dr. Yunus Directs Robust Cybersecurity Measures Ahead of National Election and Referendum

Chief Adviser and Chairman of the National Cyber Security Council Professor Muhammad Yunus has instructed the National Cyber Security Agency to ensure comprehensive cybersecurity measures ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election and referendum.

To this end, he emphasized the need for all agencies involved in cybersecurity to regularly update their software and hardware systems to prevent cyber threats.

The directive was issued on Sunday, December 28, during a meeting of the National Cyber Security Council held at the state guest house Jamuna, with the Chief Adviser presiding.

Highlighting the importance of citizen service sectors, Professor Yunus said that the country’s technological capacity must be strengthened in the run-up to the election and that all forms of cybercrime must be dealt with firmly.

He noted that the government is working to bring all citizen services onto online platforms, many of which are already being delivered both domestically and internationally. Ensuring the security and uninterrupted operation of these services, he said, requires enhanced cybersecurity measures alongside improved capacity building of relevant personnel.

The Chief Adviser also called for bringing institutions and their associated workforce under a rating system, which would allow for an objective assessment of cybersecurity preparedness and institutional performance.

He further instructed the National Cyber Security Agency to play an effective role alongside the judiciary to ensure that no financial crimes go unpunished.

At the meeting, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said that 35 institutions have already been listed as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). He suggested including more institutions in the list and stressed stronger coordination between the National Cyber Security Agency and the BTRC to prevent misinformation, disinformation, rumors, and other cyber crimes ahead of the election.

Commending the initiative to establish sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur said that several steps have already been taken to strengthen cybersecurity in the banking sector, with further measures underway.

Member Secretary of the National Cyber Security Council and Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency Dr. Md. Tayebur Rahman presented the agency’s activities and future action plans through a PowerPoint presentation. He also detailed the Cyber Incident Reporting and Response System, designed to receive and process complaints related to cyber incidents.

Others present at the meeting included Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, ICT Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam, NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan, and BTRC Chairman Md. Emdad Ul Bari, among others.

Following the enactment of the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 on May 21, the National Cyber Security Council was formed on August 26 to ensure cybersecurity for state institutions and citizens under the revised ordinance.

The 25-member council is headed by the Chief Adviser of the interim government.

DBTech/BN/SE/OR