Faqir Mahbub Anam, Minister of the Ministries for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, and Science and Technology, has called for stronger global cooperation, joint initiatives among stakeholders, and the exchange of international best practices to ensure children's safety in the digital environment.
He made the call while delivering Bangladesh's statement at the Business IT Breakfast titled "Digital Childhood Without Borders: Best International Practices for Child Safety Online", held in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday.
Representing Bangladesh at the event, the minister also conveyed, on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, his appreciation to the Global Digital Forum and the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment for undertaking this timely initiative.
Faqir Mahbub stated that Bangladesh is experiencing rapid digital transformation, which allows children to take advantage of the online world for their education and personal development.
At the same time, however, they are increasingly exposed to new and evolving forms of online risks, he added.
Ensuring children's digital safety is no longer solely the responsibility of parents or teachers, but rather a shared responsibility involving all stakeholders, including governments, online platforms, technology companies, and civil society.
He stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is working to strengthen relevant digital protection laws and legal frameworks, including the Cyber Security Act, in order to protect children's data and prevent online exploitation.
However, the minister noted that such challenges cannot be addressed through legislation alone. In this regard, he stated that sharing international experiences, best practices, and effective solutions that can be implemented on a broad scale is critically important.
Referring to the review of the draft Joint Statement and Terms of Reference of the proposed Global Alliance to Protect Children in the Digital Environment, the minister congratulated the Russian Federation on taking this important initiative.
He further said that the proposed document presents a comprehensive, child-rights-based framework in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The minister expressed Bangladesh's strong support for the three core principles of the proposed initiative, stating that the best interests of the child must receive the highest priority. He also emphasized that the shared responsibility of all stakeholders must be ensured and that experiences and best practices should be exchanged through international cooperation.
He emphasized the importance of establishing a multilateral stakeholder framework that ensures equitable representation of different geographical regions, including the Asia-Pacific region.
Such a framework would provide opportunities for the realities, challenges and experiences of developing countries like Bangladesh to be appropriately reflected in the formulation of global strategies.
At the same time, Bangladesh welcomes the proposal to establish a Digital Childhood Safety Index and a dedicated platform for research and the exchange of best practices.
Faqir Mahbub Anam stated that enhancing digital literacy among children, parents, and teachers also serves as a crucial foundation of the initiative.
He observed that developing the necessary knowledge and awareness in line with the rapid advancement of technologies, including artificial intelligence, could help establish an effective preventive mechanism against online harms.
He stated that Bangladesh remains firmly committed to the principles outlined in the Joint Statement of the Global Alliance to Protect Children in the Digital Environment.
Bangladesh has expressed a keen interest in working closely with the Alliance to protect children from online bullying, sexual harassment, data theft, and other forms of digital harm.
He added that the Alliance can play an important role in building a bridge between national policies and global cooperation.
Bangladesh's telecommunications minister stated that the country is prepared to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to build a future where every child, regardless of nationality, can explore the digital world safely, creatively, and without fear.
He stated that the collective initiative represented an investment in future generations, emphasizing that the digital future under construction must be connected while also remaining safe, inclusive and child-friendly.
Representatives from more than 100 countries participated in the international forum.
Why it matters
The initiative highlights Bangladesh's push for a multilateral, child-rights-based approach to digital safety as the country undergoes rapid digital transformation.