Dhaka: Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam announced that the government will engage with major technology companies, including Meta and Google, to address the proliferation of online misinformation, disinformation, and other harmful content that targets the government.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Mahbub Anam emphasized the government’s stance against bullying, falsehoods, and harassment on social media under the guise of freedom of speech. Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the Cyber Incident Reporting System (CIRS) at the BCC auditorium in Agargaon, he stated that such activities would be strictly controlled.
The minister highlighted the increasing risks associated with the growing use of digital technology across various sectors such as banking, healthcare, education, e-commerce, and government services. The newly launched CIRS is designed to help citizens and organizations report cyber incidents easily and swiftly, thus addressing issues like cyberattacks, data theft, ransomware, online fraud, and identity theft.
Mahbub Anam described the platform as an initiative to foster trust between citizens and the state, going beyond a mere complaint-receiving system. He also introduced the National Rating System (NRS), which will evaluate the cybersecurity capacity of public and private institutions, identify vulnerabilities, assist in development planning, and ensure safer digital services.
Developed under the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), the CIRS is a centralized, web-based platform accessible at report.ncsa.gov.bd, where individuals, institutions, and authorized users can report incidents. Citizens can file complaints related to hacking, unauthorized access, cyber fraud, online harassment, rumors, disinformation, data leaks, identity theft, and harmful content.
Complainants are required to provide details of the incident, including when it occurred and the extent of the damage, along with any relevant screenshots, images, documents, or links. Upon submission, the system generates a unique complaint ID for tracking the progress of the case, including its verification status and resolution stage.
Officials explained that complaints are initially verified by a designated official at the upazila level, who may request additional information if necessary. Unresolved cases at this level are escalated to the district level, while complex or nationally significant cases are forwarded to the National Cyber Security Agency for technical analysis and action.
The National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and other law enforcement agencies will have tiered access to system summaries, statistics, and trends, which are expected to support integrated risk assessment, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced national-level cybersecurity oversight.