Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Thursday said gambling and fraudulent activities using mobile financial services (MFS) have become a grave concern towards building 'Smart Bangladesh'.
He also said that ensuring digital security would be a big challenge in this journey.
"We have been receiving increasing reports of gambling and fraudulent cases using mobile financial services - this is really a concern for us," he said at a seminar, titled 'Smart Connectivity for Smart Bangladesh', organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) in a city hotel.
"If we fail to fight this challenge, it could boomerang on us."
People should be aware of the merits and demerits of technology before using it, said the minister.
Mustafa Jabbar said indigenous content on the internet has not developed as much as the internet has expanded in the country. "So this is also another concern that young generations would grow unhooked from the roots."
He said the authorities still can't remove content from the internet effectively. "We can block a site, but we can't remove a specific content."
He said broadband connectivity in villages would be the key to building the infrastructure for Smart Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder was present at the event as a special guest.
He said cyber security or digital security could not be ensured if one is not aware of their own security.
"We can't ensure your security if you can't be aware of your own security, nobody can..," he added.
While presenting the keynote speech, telecom expert TIM Nurul Kabir suggested that the BTRC take on projects to find out areas where the country is lagging behind.
"If we indulge in self-satisfaction … we won't be able to reach the Smart Bangladesh goal by 2041," he said.
Nurul Kabir also suggested that the BTRC look after the quality of all service providers instead of monitoring mobile operators only.
Some internet service providers shared the obstacles they face in operating the business and sought the ministry and regulator's intervention to prevent these barriers.
Putting emphasis on active sharing among ISP operators, Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) President Md Emdadul Hoque said that permission is required to make connectivity more accessible.
"Most of the industries around the world introduced active sharing, why don't we have this?" he questioned.
Chief technology officer at Fiber@ Home Sumon Ahmed Sabir said, "The first thing we need is to set our target and build infrastructure."
"If we want to make our education and health sector smart, we need to see where we are now and where our connectivity level needs to be developed."
Among others, Secretary General of the Association of Mobile Operators of Bangladesh Brig Gen SM Farhad (Retd), Director General (System and Services) of BTRC Brigadier General Md Nasim Parvez, and Secretary General of ISPAB Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan spoke at the seminar.
TRNB President Rashed Mehedi chaired the event, while General Secretary SM Masuduzzaman Robin delivered the welcome address.
