Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has stressed global cooperation, joint initiatives by stakeholders and exchange of international best practices to ensure children’s safety in the digital environment.
Faqir Mahbub, also Science and Technology Minister, 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 the Russian capital Moscow, said a ministry press release today.
Representing Bangladesh, he thanked, on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the Global Digital Forum and the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment for the timely initiative.
The minister said Bangladesh’s rapid digital transformation is enabling children to use the online world for education and development, while exposing them to new and evolving risks.
Ensuring children’s digital safety is a collective responsibility of the government, online platforms, technology companies, civil society, parents and teachers, he said.
He said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is working to strengthen digital protection laws and legal frameworks, including the Cyber Security Act, to protect children’s data and safeguard them from online exploitation. However, laws alone cannot address the challenges, making international experience, best practices and effective solutions essential, he added.
Referring to the review of the Draft Joint Statement and Terms of Reference of the Global Alliance to Protect Children in the Digital Environment, the minister congratulated the Russian Federation for the initiative.
He said the proposed document presents an integrated child rights-based framework in light of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Faqir Mahbub Anam expressed Bangladesh’s strong support for giving the child’s best interests the highest priority, ensuring the joint responsibility of all stakeholders and sharing experience and best practices through international cooperation.
He stressed the importance of fair representation of different geographical regions, including the Asia-Pacific, in a multilateral stakeholder framework so that the realities, challenges and experiences of developing countries like Bangladesh can be reflected in global strategies.
Bangladesh also welcomes the proposal to establish a Digital Childhood Safety Index and a dedicated platform for research and exchange of best practices, he said.
The minister said increasing digital literacy among children, parents and teachers is another important foundation of the initiative.
Building knowledge and awareness in line with rapid technological development, including artificial intelligence, can help establish an effective mechanism to prevent online harm, he said.
He said Bangladesh is strongly committed to the principles outlined in the Alliance’s Joint Statement and is interested in working closely with it to protect children from online bullying, sexual harassment, data theft and other digital harms.
The Alliance can play an important role in bridging national policies and global cooperation, he added.
The minister said Bangladesh is ready to work with all relevant stakeholders to build a future where every child, regardless of nationality, can explore the digital world safely, creatively and fearlessly.
He said the collective initiative is an investment in future generations and the digital future must be not only connected, but also safe, inclusive and child-friendly.
Representatives from more than 100 countries participated in the international forum.
