Facebook s parent company, Meta, has expressed interest in establishing an office in Dhaka. At the same time, the US-based tech company has shown interest in working with the government to expand e-commerce and online business, as well as on cybersecurity in Bangladesh. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid shared this information at a press conference held at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday (September 22) local time.
The press conference was organized to brief on the various programs of the first day of Prime Minister Tariq Rahmans visit to New York, including his participation in the 81st session of the UN GeneralAssembly. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, the Prime Minister s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin, and the Prime Minister's Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, along with other relevant officials, were present at the event. Shama Obaid said that Bangladesh had a fruitful meeting with Meta. Discussions were held regarding opening an office in Dhaka, and the company has shown interest in this matter. Bangladesh's large Facebook user base also came up in the discussion.
She mentioned that Meta was also engaged in discussions regarding Bangladesh's cybersecurity laws. In addition to cooperating on the expansion of the country's e-commerce and online trade, the company expressed interest in working with educational institutions. Noting that digital harassment was also discussed during the meeting, Shama Obaid said Meta is keen to work with various government agencies to reduce such harassment within Bangladesh s social context. She further added that discussions with Meta covered the emphasis placed on the e-commerce and technology sectors in the government's first budget. The company expressed its desire to work more closely with relevant teams in Bangladesh in the future. They will review when and how the Dhaka office will be opened.
Meanwhile, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir stated that a general discussion on various issues, including trade, investment, and defense investment, was held during the meeting with Dr. Muhammad Yunus. He also noted that there was no discussion regarding the Mecca Pact. He described the meeting as cordial, adding that it is expected to further strengthen mutual and strategic partnerships in the future. Stating that LDC graduation was not discussed in detail during the meeting, Humayun Kabir said that the post-COVID situation, the democratic deficit of the last 15 years, institutional fragility, and particularly the energy crisis are being highlighted in the international arena in the context of Bangladesh's application for LDC graduation.
He said Bangladesh is receiving support on these matters, and the government is positive about it. The issue of the energy crisis has also been positively presented at the relevant levels in the UN General Assembly.
