Facebook has vowed to take immediate action to remove posts used for the purposes of militancy, terrorism and sectarianism, including offensive images and information. The assurance was given by a three-member delegation of Bangladesh Facebook (META) at the Secretariat on Wednesday in a courtesy call on Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mostafa Jabbar. Simon Milner, Facebook’s vice president for public policy in the Asia-Pacific region, led the delegation.
Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman and BTRC Director General Brigadier General Nasim Parvez were present on the occasion. Other members of the Facebook delegation were Shabnam Rashid Dia, Facebook’s Public Policy Affairs Officer for Bangladesh, and Miss Rozao.
The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications informed the delegation that Facebook was being used to spread rumors of militancy, terrorism and sectarianism, anarchy and social unrest in the country. He called on Facebook to pay special attention to this issue and suggested using artificial intelligence to remove objectionable data and confirm the identity of the users. He also suggested setting up a Facebook office in Bangladesh.
Mostafa Jabbar, a pioneer in the development of digital technology in Bangladesh, highlighted the progress of the bilateral meeting with Facebook in Barcelona in 2018, and said that the interaction with Facebook has progressed as expected in the past few days and is continuing. Mr. Mostafa Jabbar, the father of Bangla language in computer, said that people’s attachment is spread through social media. Facebook has provide coming with submarine cable connections in many parts of the world. He also drew the attention of Facebook to provide a similar submarine cable connection in Bangladesh.
He emphasized the importance of Facebook’s community standards in the context of Bangladesh. The Minister apprised the delegation of the progress being made in the digital technology sector under the visionary and wise leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said that the last thirteen and a half years have witnessed a revolutionary change in the development of digital technology. Following this, Bangladesh is a role model for the world today.
During the meeting, various issues related to OTP guidelines and mutual interests came up for discussion.
The leader of the delegation assured to consider the existing issues of Facebook with utmost importance. The delegation lauded the role of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in expanding broadband network in Bangladesh, expanding 4G mobile network in 98 per cent areas
of the country, developing digital infrastructure including launching 5G and arranging 5G spectrum auctions in this regard.