Two new cyber portals launched to boost security

In a significant step toward safeguarding the nation's digital infrastructure, Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), banking systems, and rapidly growing cashless economy against cyber threats, the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has launched two new centralized digital platforms.

On Tuesday (August 4), the 'Cyber Incident Reporting System' (CIRS) and the 'National ICT & Cyber Security Rating System' (NRS) were formally inaugurated at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Concurrently, the preliminary draft of the 'National Cyber Security Strategy 2026-2030' was unveiled, setting a national benchmark to elevate Bangladesh among the top 20 cyber-secure nations globally by 2030.

Speaking as the chief guest, Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam made it clear that character assassination and online harassment under the guise of freedom of speech are entirely unacceptable.

He noted, "Complaints regarding defamatory and character-assassinating content on social media are being raised by public representatives and citizens alike. Such content leaves young people mentally distressed, sometimes driving them toward suicidal tendencies. We are in policy-level discussions with social media platforms to address this trend."

He added, "The National Cyber Security Strategy 2026-2030 is a roadmap for the next five years. CIRS will act as a bridge between citizens and the government, while NRS will pinpoint vulnerabilities across institutions to build a reliable foundation of national resilience."

Prime Minister's ICT Advisor Rehan Asif Asad emphasized, "Cybersecurity is not the sole responsibility of the government. Government, private sectors, and citizens must work together.

Tackling misinformation, fake news, trolling, and personal defamation requires collective institutional and social responsibility. Reporting systems alone will not solve these challenges. As cyber risks escalate, we must invest today in skilling our youth in Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and cloud computing."

Bangladesh Bank Governor Md. Mostakur Rahman noted that the initiatives will play a key role in mitigating financial sector vulnerabilities and providing early warnings.

BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Emdad Ul Bari acknowledged that structural gaps had previously delayed CIRS and stated, "This platform will bridge the coordination gap between ICT, communications, and cybersecurity. However, balancing freedom of expression with regulatory oversight remains a complex policy challenge worldwide."

Presiding over the session, ICT Division Secretary Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan stated, "We are all exposed to cyber risks, so staying passive is not an option. The government is according top priority to cyberbullying, cybersecurity, and citizen data protection."

Director General of NCSA Md. Taibur Rahman explained that all key institutions will monitor their security maturity via dedicated dashboards, receiving NRS ratings based on 9 assessment categories. Tech analysts underscored that active public-private participation, regular security audits, and rapid incident response mechanisms will be imperative for the platforms' success.