Digital transformation is about rebuilding state foundations: Taiyeb

Chief Adviser's Special Assistant on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, today (17 December) said that digital transformation does not merely mean developing apps, rather it is a process of rebuilding the very foundation of the state.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the international conference titled "Building Trust and Sustainability through Data Governance" at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital. 

Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), with the support of the Information and Communication Technology Division (EDGE Project) and the Government of Bangladesh, organised the event, said a press release. 

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said the country's digital transformation can no longer be confined to fragmented projects or app-based initiatives. It is a long-term and foundational state transformation, with data governance, cyber security, and citizens' rights at its core, he added. 

Mentioning that although many digital systems exist in the country, he said the lack of interoperability has emerged as a major obstacle, resulting in decision-making being hampered, and artificial intelligence cannot be used effectively.

The Special Assistant said the government has already begun work on establishing three legal foundations — cyber safety, personal data protection, and national data governance — which will serve as the main pillars of future Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

Referring to telecommunications and device access, he said digital services will be effective only when citizens have access to secure devices and equal network coverage, regardless of whether they live in urban or rural areas.

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said that in the future, every citizen will have a digital data wallet, where information from birth to death will be securely stored, and data will be used only for a specified period with the citizen's consent. 

Without legal and infrastructural foundations, digital transformation is merely an illusion, he added, noting that the government has moved away from that wrong path and has started working on building the right foundations.

Information and Communication Technology Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury said effective data governance is not limited to policy formulation alone; it requires strong institutional capacity, cross-sector coordination, and a clear accountability framework. 

As the scope of digital services expands in both the public and private sectors, ensuring responsible data use, security, and compliance is crucial for building public trust and achieving sustainable digital transformation, he added. 

Data protection, management, and responsible use in the digital era were the main focus of discussions at the conference.

The conference featured three separate sessions discussing the practical application of data protection policies, a comparison of Bangladesh's data management practices with international standards, and the role of professional accountants in data governance. 

President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) Jean Bouquot, Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan at the World Bank Jean Pesme, along with government policymakers, representatives of international organisations, professional accountants, and experts from the legal and technology sectors, also took part.

They said that a strong and reliable data governance system can be built if the government, regulatory bodies, professional organisations, and the private sector work together, which would enhance trust and support the country's sustainable development.