CA orders tighter cyber security before polls

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has directed the National Cyber- Security Agency to ensure comprehensive cyber security measures ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election and referendum, amid growing concerns over cybercrime, disinformation and threats to critical digital infrastructure.
The directive was issued on Sunday at a meeting of the National Cyber Security Council, held at the state guest house Jamuna and chaired by Professor Yunus in his capacity as council chairman, a spokesperson for the Chief Adviser's Office said.
Addressing the meeting, the chief adviser said Bangladesh must significantly enhance its technological capacity to safeguard the electoral process.
"In the run-up to the election, we must strengthen our information technology capabilities and deal firmly with all forms of cybercrime," he said.
Professor Yunus noted that the government is steadily shifting citizen services to online platforms, with many services already being delivered digitally at home and abroad.
Ensuring the security and uninterrupted operation of these services, he said, makes robust cyber security indispensable. He instructed the relevant authorities to give special priority to sectors providing essential public services.
He also emphasised the need for regular updates to both software and hardware used by institutions responsible for cyber security, alongside continuous capacity-building for personnel.
To improve accountability and assessment, he proposed bringing institutions and their associated workforce under a formal rating system to evaluate cyber security preparedness and overall performance.
Stressing zero tolerance for financial cybercrime, the chief adviser directed the National Cyber Security Agency to work closely with the judiciary to ensure that no one involved in cyber offences in the financial sector escapes accountability.
Speaking at the meeting, Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said 35 institutions have already been designated as Critical Information Infrastructure and recommended that more be added to the list.
He also underlined the importance of coordination between the National Cyber Security Agency and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to counter rumours, misinformation, disinformation and other cyber offences ahead of the election.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur told the meeting that a number of steps have already been taken to strengthen cyber security in the banking sector, with further initiatives currently under way.
He praised efforts to establish sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).
The council's member secretary and Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency, Dr Md Tayebur Rahman, presented a detailed overview of the agency's activities and future action plans through a PowerPoint presentation.
He also outlined the newly developed "Cyber Incident Reporting and Response System", designed to receive and process complaints related to cybercrime.
Those present at the meeting included Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, ICT Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam and National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan.
The National Cyber Security Council was formed on August 26 under the amended Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, following the promulgation of the ordinance on May 21.
The 25-member council is chaired by the chief adviser of the interim government and is tasked with ensuring cyber security for state institutions and citizens alike.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com