BTRC Releases Draft Guideline for .bd and .bangla Domains

The Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) Chairman emphasized the need to reduce internet costs in the country to improve access to digital services and expand the range of financial services available to marginalized communities. In a recent press conference held during the ABB's conference on 'Banking on Digital Transformation,' He highlighted that compared to neighboring countries, internet costs in Bangladesh remain high, limiting the adoption of digital services among the population. He stated that reducing internet prices would create an opportunity for banks to strengthen their modern technology-based services, ultimately benefiting both the industry and customers.

eGeneration Limited, a leading IT company, has secured a contract with the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (Idra) to establish a state-of-the-art data center at their office. The agreement, valued at approximately Tk 15 crore, was signed between eGeneration and Idra's project director for the Bangladesh Insurance Sector Development Project. The data center is expected to be fully operational within the next six to nine months, according to an eGeneration official.

Cloud computing technology is gaining traction among banks and non-bank financial institutions (FIs) as it delivers improved operational efficiency, cost savings, scalability, and enhanced security. With cloud-based solutions, financial institutions can reduce capital and operational expenditures, freeing up resources for critical initiatives. The scalability of cloud technology allows institutions to easily adjust computing resources according to their needs, catering to peak demand hours and facilitating the launch of new products or services.

The Bangladeshi government has invested Tk 1,200 crore in laying optical fiber across 2,600 unions under the Info Sarkar project's phase-3. The project aims to provide high-speed internet at the union level. The Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) has signed a deal with Summit Communications and Fiber@Home for the maintenance and operation of the broadband infrastructure. Under a public-private partnership (PPP), 90% of the revenue earned from broadband connections will go to private entities, with the government receiving only 10%.

Around 12.9% of Bangladesh's population, equivalent to 2 crore 28 lakh 29 thousand 478 people, lack internet access, as per the latest survey by the Internet Poverty Index developed by Australia-based World Data Lab (WDL). Bangladesh ranks 71st out of 166 countries globally in terms of internet poverty and 13th in East and Southeast Asia. The current population of Bangladesh is 17 crore 65 lakh 97 thousand 147, with 8 crore 77 lakh 62 thousand 286 women and 8 crore 88 lakh 34 thousand 861 men. Approximately 8.7% of women and 4.2% of men in Bangladesh are deprived of internet usage.

ABG Technologies Ltd, a concern of Bashundhara Group has been granted authorization by the central bank to function as a payment service provider within the nation. The Bangladesh Bank has issued a circular confirming this development today. As holders of a PSP license, ABG Technologies Ltd can enable direct customer payments and process transactions using a bank or financial institution.