The speakers at the consultation stressed to multi-stakeholders of Bangladesh for all-out preparations to reap the benefits of the upcoming Global Digital Compact & Summit of the Future 2024. The speakers have directed preparatory work on the benefits expected to get from the summit. Besides, speakers were asked to take the initiative in developing the Bangladesh position paper on GDC and Summit of the Future in a multi-stakeholder manner to ensure Unified Voices.
Bangladesh Pre-Summit of the Future 2024 National Consultation Before the Summit of the Future 2024 was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 27 March 2024 under the Bangladesh Initiative for Connecting, Empowering & Amplifying Unified Voices on Global Digital Compact & Summit for the Future 2024 organized with the support of UNDP Bangladesh and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The Consultation Participated by Representatives from the relevant Ministries, Government Officials along with Representatives from NGOs, CSOs, Academics, Researchers, UN Agencies, Development Partners, Networks, Trade bodies, Media, Youth Communities, and the Private Sector.
“Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow” Theme of the Summit of the Future 2024, will be held in the UN HQs, New York, USA on 22-23 September 2024 and Summit of the Future will agree on a Global Digital Compact: An Open, Free and Secure Digital Future for All.
Bangladesh Initiative for Unified Voices on Global Digital Compact & Summit of the Future 2024, under the auspices of the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) & Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), has been actively engaging stakeholders since 2022. This engagement encompasses a wide array of actors, including Parliamentarians, Government officials, the UN system, private sector representatives, technical communities, civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, and youth communities.
H.E. Mr. Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary), Ministry of Foreign Affairs was present in the consultation as Chief Guest and Mr. Stefan Liller, UNDP Resident Representative of Bangladesh was present as Guest of Honor. Brig Gen Mohammad Khalil-Ur-Rahman, ndc, psc, te, Director General, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) was present as Special Guest, and Ms. Louise Barber, Head of Resident Coordinator’s Office, UN Office of the UN Resident Coordinator of Bangladesh present as Discussant.
Prof. Dr. Samia A. Selim of the University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh presented the keynote address in the session. The head of the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh, Ms. Louis Barber, and the Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGO’s Network for Radio and Communication, Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman, were the Discussants. The topics discussed in this session were the UN Secretary General’s ‘Our Common Agenda’ and ‘Global Digital Compact’. Professor Dr. Shameem Reza, Mass Communication and Journalism Department of the University of Dhaka moderated the first panel.
The tone and context of the consultation were set by Mr. Abdul Haque Anu, Secretary General of Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum with a vivid presentation touched on all the Responses and Actions of Bangladesh Initiative for Unified Voices on Global Digital Compact & Summit of the Future 2024 since 2022.
In the second panel, Ms Tahreen Tahrima Chowdhury, a Research Fellow of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) presented the keynote speech. The topic of the second session was ‘Summit of the Future 2024’. Director General of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Brigadier General Khalil-Ur-Rahman as discussant. The second session was moderated by Mr Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer of TV Today. Regarding the Future of the Summit, what will be Bangladesh’s preparation, role, and action plan, the negotiator’s statement comes up.
In the concluding session, Mr. Anir Chowdhury, Policy Advisor, Aspire to Innovate (a2i), ICT Division, Ministry of Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology presented the keynote speech.
Closing Remarks delivered by H.E. Masud Bin Momen as the Chief Guest, Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Brigadier General Khalil-Ur-Rahman, Director General of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and Mr Stephen Liler, UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative as the guest of honour.