Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged all to stay alert so that the information communication technology (ICT) and internet cannot be used in terrorist and militant acts.

She also said all concerned must remain aware so that there could be no social decadence with the ICT and internet misuse saying youths and children could be derailed with that.

The Prime Minster said this while inaugurating the weeklong Upazila Digital Fair and Internet Week-2015 through a videoconference fom her official residence Ganobhaban.

Information and Communications Technology Department, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and Grameenphone are observing the festival with arranging fairs in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Sylhet as well as in 487 upazilas of the country simultaneously.

The theme of the Internet week 2015 is: ‘The Password of Development is in Our Hand’.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is going to formulate the 'Digital Security Act' to check ICT and internet misuse.

She said technology has made life easier also changed the lifestyle of common people but its misuse could also destabilise society.

The Prime Minister also urged all concerned to remain careful about IOCT use and ICT-based technologies so that religious sentiment of people is not hurt.

Sheikh Hasina said her government’s aim is to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country by increasing the effective ICT use.

To promote the use of ICT-based digital services, Hasina said, her government has begun its journey to establish digital Bangladesh by implementing vision-2021 and it is now a reality.

She said over 5 crore people are now using the internet against 20 lakh in 2009, while 2,250 unions would come under fibre optic cable as the work in this regard is progressing under a digital connectivity project.

Hasina mentioned that 3G network has been introduced in the country, while 4G network would also be launched to further strengthen networks and meet the demand of the internet and mobile users before 2017.

State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) president Shameem Ahsan and Grameenphone CEO Rajeev Sethi also spoke on the occasion.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith joined the videoconference from Banani Society Ground in Dhaka while a number of political leaders, parliament members and government officials joined it from Companiganj of Sylhet, Tungipara of Gopalganj, Pirganj of Rangpur, Shingra of Natore and Barisal Sadar.

UNB/RI