Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, urged all stakeholders not to spread confusion regarding the recently approved Personal Data Protection Ordinance while speaking at a press conference held at the ICT Division in Agargaon on Sunday.
Highlighting the misuse of personal data in the past, including incidents linked to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb stressed that personal information has been exploited to harass individuals, with forged data and even manipulation of the NID system.
He noted cases where individuals were arrested based on geo-location data misuse, emphasizing the urgent need for protective legislation.
“The law is designed to protect both citizens and institutions, and does not contain any provision for non-bailable offences,” he clarified. “At the same time, it maintains a quasi-judicial authority to ensure the accountability of the enforcement agencies.”
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said that arbitrary laws in the past had compromised citizens’ personal information and enabled harassment through fabricated data.
The program was organized to discuss the Personal Data Protection Ordinance, National Data Management Ordinance, and the Amended Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, following their recent approval by the Advisory Council on Thursday.
“Bangladesh is 20 to 25 years behind global standards in terms of digital governance,” Taiyeb said, adding that these ordinances are critical for keeping the country competitive in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
He emphasized the need for both the rule of law and its proper enforcement, calling for better coordination among government ministries to prevent wastage of public resources caused by overlapping or uncoordinated technology initiatives.
“Legal harmonisation can help reduce these inefficiencies,” he added.
The special assistant also stressed the need to ensure the security of personal data and promote accountability across institutions and digital systems.
“There should be no unnecessary criticism that undermines progress,” he said. “Constructive feedback is welcome, but baseless objections only serve to derail national development.”
The ordinances are part of the government’s broader effort to modernise the country’s digital infrastructure, bolster cybersecurity, and safeguard personal data in line with global practices.
On another question, Taiyeb updated the latest information on Bangladesh’s third submarine cable, SEA-ME-WE 6, saying it would not be operational this year as initially expected.
“We now anticipate the cable will enter commercial operation by mid to late 2026,” he said, adding, “The cable is expected to provide a data transmission capacity of 17,000 Gbps, significantly boosting the country’s international bandwidth.”
Once operational, SEA-ME-WE 6 will further enhance Bangladesh’s connectivity infrastructure and reduce dependency on existing systems, which is vital as digital demand continues to grow rapidly, Taiyeb added.
