State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has invited Meta Platforms Inc to open an office in Bangladesh.
She made the invitation when a high-level Bangladesh delegation held talks with Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
The meeting was led by Shama Obaed, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was unable to attend due to time constraints, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Irene Khan and Deputy Permanent Representative AKM Wahiduzzaman also attended the meeting.
Noting Bangladesh’s large Meta user base, Shama Obaed discussed the company’s relationship with Bangladesh and issues relating to the country’s digital platforms.
The discussions also covered opportunities to strengthen Bangladesh’s digital economy and e-commerce ecosystem, including how Meta’s platforms and technologies could support businesses, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and digital commerce in Bangladesh.
The state minister also underscored the need to prevent online abuse and digital harassment and discussed the proposed Cyber Security Act in Bangladesh.
The exchange was described as constructive and forward-looking.