Industry insiders and stakeholders have made a renewed call to increase budget for domestic cybersecurity with an eye to protecting data as newer threats are coming almost daily.
They urged the businesses to opt for local cloud-computing services to ensure higher security at a lower cost to save foreign currency.
The stakeholders also urged Meghna Cloud to make their services competitive and affordable for the local business in comparison to foreign cloud services.
The observations were made at a seminar 'Smart Bangladesh Cybersecurity' co-hosted by Gennext Technology-owned Meghna Cloud, Bangladesh Data Centre Company Ltd and Digital Security Agency in Dhaka on Thursday night.
Speaking at the chief guest, ICT secretary Shamsul Arefin said everything was going to be paperless and cashless in a smart Bangladesh.
Data should be well protected in local clouds and data centres as future decisions in the paperless and cashless country be based on data, he added.
Mr Arefin told the event that setting up data centre by every business was costly and not affordable. "So, it's better using local clouds at an affordable rate."
Bangladesh Computer Council executive director Ranjit Kumar urged stakeholders to address and assess weaknesses and strengths to manage cybersecurity.
He said the services of Meghna Cloud must be competitive so that everyone takes the services.
Abu Sayed Md Kamruzzaman, director general of Digital Security Agency, said the mindset of top executives and entrepreneurs should be changed to understand the importance of cybersecurity.
Bangladesh is not as a whole well-prepared and many at the top level do not understand real cyberthreats.
"Nobody will secure them if they can't secure themselves," he asserted.
Bangladesh Data Centre Company Ltd managing director Ataur Rahman Khan said they entered into an agreement with Meghna Cloud to expand and strengthen the service of the data centre.
More stakeholder meetings will be organised to introduce cloud services and meet the expectations and demands of stakeholders and clients, according to him.
Gennext chairman Touhidul Islam said Meghna Cloud was poised to revolutionise the nation's digital landscape.
"Designed to curb dependence on foreign cloud services, Meghna Cloud is expected to save around $4 billion of foreign currency annually."
This 'Made in Bangladesh' cloud is tailored to meet the escalating data requirements of a rapidly growing population, offering cutting-edge solutions and contributing significantly to the national economy.
Gennext chief operating officer Sayeef Rahman in his keynote said the avast internet user base of 130 million, coupled with over 150-million biometric-registered SIM cards, has fueled the development of over 1900+ e-services by the government, resulting in a substantial influx of personal data.
He said the proliferation of personally identifiable information (PII) in Bangladesh's digital landscape has heightened the threat of cyber attacks.
Malware, phishing, DDoS, and other cyberthreats are on the rise globally, with the average Bangladeshi exposed to over 100 vulnerabilities.
"In response to these challenges, Meghna Cloud introduces a layered security model," said Mr Rahman.
The custom-made Security Operations Centre (SOC) boasts over 27 components, including SIEM, WAF, VA, PT, Threat Intelligence, IAM, Platform Hardening, Encryption and Data Integrity Management, providing a unified monitoring and engagement model for enhanced security.
The Gennext executive said Meghna Cloud was committed to ensuring the highest level of security and compliance.
In addition to adhering to local regulations such as the Cyber Security Act and the Data Protection Bill, he said Meghna Cloud complies with international standards, including PCI, ISO 27001, ISACA and ITIL.
Meghna Cloud has formed as a result of a joint venture between BDCCL and Gennext Technologies Ltd.
It is a flagship initiative contributing to Bangladesh's digital sovereignty by providing secure, reliable and scalable cloud solutions.
As a pioneer in the nation's digital transformation, Meghna Cloud is committed to empowering businesses and individuals with cutting-edge technologies while ensuring the highest standards of security.
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