Any investment that protects nat’l interests will be welcomed: Adviser Nahid
While talking to Helen LaFave, Charge d’Affaires of the US embassy to Dhaka, at the secretariat, the adviser said “Foreign investment is needed for the development of the new Bangladesh achieved through the uprising of the students”
Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Adviser Md Nahid Islam. Photo: Collected
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Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Adviser Md Nahid Islam. Photo: Collected
The government will welcome any foreign investment that protects the national interest, Md Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology, said yesterday (10 September).
While talking to Helen LaFave, Charge d’Affaires of the US embassy to Dhaka, at the secretariat, the adviser said “Foreign investment is needed for the development of the new Bangladesh achieved through the uprising of the students.”
When the US envoy asked about the investment of US companies Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle in Bangladesh, he said, “We welcome any investment that protects our national interest.”
Besides, Nahid, also the adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, urged the delegation to establish the data centres of these companies in Bangladesh, rather than in India.
“Artificial intelligence is crucial for Bangladesh, and its significance is growing day by day. If we receive a concrete proposal from the United States, we are willing to collaborate on this issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the advisor said Institutional reforms for the two ministries under his supervision are being developed, with proposals being submitted accordingly.
Moreover, Nahid emphasised the importance of media freedom, noting that in recent years, Bangladesh’s position on the media freedom index has been very low.
He highlighted that journalists in Bangladesh have faced various forms of harassment.
“The previous government restricted media freedom through several laws, notably the Cyber Security Act. We are actively reviewing it. Our goal is to ensure that no legislation conflicts with international human rights standards,” he said.
Nahid also noted concerns about dissatisfaction among journalists regarding the wage board, stating that the low salary structure is causing young people to lose interest in journalism.
He said reforming the wage board is currently under consideration.
When Stephen Ibelli, Public Affairs Counselor at the US Embassy, inquired about the politics within media houses, the adviser responded, “If journalists come forward with reform initiatives, we will work to address the issue.”
