The 2nd Bangladesh Youth IGF concluded on Saturday with the commitment to include the youth of villages outside the capital Dhaka in internet governance. The participants expressed their intention to establish Bangladesh as a truly smart Bangladesh in the world in 2041 by establishing Good Governance, Smart Citizen, Smart Government, Smart Society and Smart Economy by using emerging technologies like IoT, Blockchain, Data Mining and Data Governance through the participation of all the youth. The organizers said that the next IGF will be held in Mymensingh or any district outside Dhaka. This program will be spread at the district level as well.
Faisal Ahmed Bhuban, General Secretary of Youth IGF presented the details of their ongoing activities to empower and integrate youth on the Internet at the beginning of the closing day moderated by BNNRC CEO AHM Bazlur Rahman.
Bangladesh is the eighth lowest in data consumption
Brigadier General Nasim Parvez, Focal Point of UN IGF Bangladesh and Director General of BTRC attended the program as Chief Guest. Emphasizing the bridging the digital divide, he said BTRC is now working as a facilitator. Apart from creating policies to spread the Internet, steps have been taken to do more for the youth of the country. We want to go a long way with BD Sig, Youth AGF, Women IGF and Kids IGF.
He further said that now Nepal and Pakistan have expressed interest in innovative solutions like our NEIR. We have also been able to meet the target set by the UN Broadband Commission to keep broadband spending below 2 percent of per capita income by 2025. We have removed the urban-rural disparity in the implementation of one country, one rate. As a result, among 190 countries in the world, Bangladesh is eighth lowest in terms of data cost. However, if the internet price is made free, it will be a waste.
E-health expert and AmaderGram founder Reza Salim, Foodpanda co-founder and e-CAB director Syeda Ambareen Reza were special guests on the occasion.
Internet- a Basics Need
Ambereen Reza said, Internet connects everyone. Therefore, there is no alternative to empowering the youth to ensure that the Internet is safe and healthy. It is a basic need like food. By utilizing these two facilities, ‘HomeSafe’ has been developed in 64 districts of the country. Youngsters are enriching themselves economically through freelance riding. There are many young people in FoodPanda who come to Dhaka and pay for their studies by riding part-time. Therefore, the more the internet reaches the hands of the youth, the more the country’s economy will be strengthened.
Facebook wastes 33 percent of time
‘I don’t think the internet is about connectivity’ Reza Salim said, we need communication. But I don’t think connectivity means internet or internet connection. Back in 1998 when we were working on Digital Opportunity Taskforce aka DotForce and Global Knowledge or GK. Today we are agitating for privacy and data protection along with internet governance. As part of this I did not give my fingerprint while picking up my mobile phone/SIM. Two and a half months ago I became a voter after securing my fingerprints and got NID.
Mentioning that Facebook wastes time, he said, “We have calculated that Facebook wastes 33 percent of productive time. So I closed my Facebook. I want to create a knowledge based society. In my Gyanogram i.e. Sriphaltala in Rampal 97 percent people know computers. In leisure they play chess. There have been no incidents of eve teasing here in the past few years.”
Reza Salim appealed to the attention of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunication to start internet service in the village by using wireless tower through radio link. He said, thanks to Mustafa Jabbar, I got 100 Mbps internet of BTCL in my area.
Safe Internet saves 10 percent
Highlighting experience in Malaysia, Tarek Moinuddin, director of Odhora Dotline said, “If you use Family Internet Safety, 10 percent of bad traffic will be saved in the country, resulting the saving of bandwidth worth1 thousand crore taka.” He was present as the guest of honor in the event.
Baisakhi Khatun, Masum Billah and Pratibha Banerjee were awarded as Cyber Diplomats at the end of the program through a total of 7 sessions in two days. Best video content creator was awarded on the occasion of the two-day YIGF 2022.
Youth IZF Standing Committee Chair Faisal Ahmed Bhuban, Co-Chair Riyad Hossain Badsha, Nazmul Hasan Majumdar, Syeda Tamim Jahan Ripa, BD SIG Executive Committee Member Ashrafur Rahman Piyas, Women IGF Convener Farah Mahmud Trina, Advisory Committee Member Hiren Pandit and Iqbal Ahmed were also honored.