Bangladesh and Japan has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to deepen partnership in different areas of ICT, including innovation and research, the digital economy, cyber security, and fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies to accelerate Bangladesh's journey towards building a knowledge-based Smart Bangladesh by 2041.
The MoC was signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Japan in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office.
Under the agreements, both Bangladesh and Japan would foster deeper partnership in various areas of ICT, including cooperation in human resources development, innovation and research, digital literacy, the digital economy, cyber security, and promoting 4IR technologies, sharing the most recent developments in the ICT sector, according to a press release by the ICT Division.
State Minister of ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh IWAMA Kiminori put initials on the MoC on behalf of their respective sides.
The two countries will cooperate with each other to prevent and respond to the fast-growing cyber incidents and exchange of information on prevalent cyber security policies and best practices, and arrange dialogue to discuss current issues on this issue, the MoC said adding they would cooperate to build capacity of human resources and exchange experts.
State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the MoC signed today with the technologically advanced country, Japan, is a milestone development in the journey towards building a sustainable, knowledge-based and innovative Smart Bangladesh by 2041.
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“We have reached an understanding to work together in various areas of ICT such as human resources development, innovation and research, the digital economy, digital literacy, cyber security, and the use of 4IR technologies,” he said.
Palak said Japanese cooperation is very important in all the above-mentioned areas, especially for implementing Smart Bangladesh within the stipulated time.
Japan is Bangladesh's top development partner and it is helping the nation’s advance in fields including infrastructure, manufacturing technology and human resources, he said pointing out that the government in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has already made a `Smart Bangladesh: ICT 2041 Master Plan.
The ICT State Minister said with the signing of the MoC, Bangladesh would now seek cooperation and suggestions from Japan to undertake and implement projects in line with the Smart Bangladesh: ICT 2041 Master Plan and about the use of 4IR technologies like AI, IoT, robotics, 3D printing that would shape several sectors of Bangladesh in the future health, education, energy, communication, commerce, economy, climate, infrastructure, natural resources, governance, financial transactions, security and entrepreneurship.
As per the MoC, Bangladesh and Japan would also work together in the international arena to promote implementation of the UNGGE reports of 2013, 2015 and 2021 by reaffirming the applicability of international law in cyberspace as well as by appropriately conducting Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and extending capacity building.