Bangladesh’s ICT State Minister Junaid Polok has said that Bangladesh will soon be able to deliver an indigenous version of Facebook on people’s digital door steps. This should be an exciting situation. Various versions of the FB exist but FB stands taller than others because it’s a technical achievement that encompasses many people across the globe.
The fact that Bangladesh has been able to deliver something like this should please us all as it’s a scientific achievement of Bangladeshi technologists. No matter what it is, small or big, it should be congratulated and thus the best for the efforts given.
The information was conveyed by the State minister at the meeting of the WE or Women’s e-commerce platform. This group has grown tremendously during the pandemic period and now is one of the great success stories not just in the e-league but generally cutting across all sectors. That shows among other things that Bangladesh not only needs opportunities for enterprises but increasingly, it has to as the global enterprise scenario is undergoing a transition. Bangladesh economy has to go digital if it wants to survive in an increasingly competitive global market. In this China is a good example where its labour intensive economy survives and flourishes with its high-tech sibling as well.
China brings in another issue as well which is indigenous Facebook. China has banned FB and introduced its own version so the reality of anti-globalization can be handled by those countries which can effectively survive in such an economic world. Nevertheless, China’s intent is political and is used to diminish internal dissent and protest. Questions may be asked if Bangladesh plans to do the same or not.
Bangladesh doesn’t have a great record because of the Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been seriously misused by many. It’s not the Government alone who has filed cases but many powerful people and supporters of the ruling party have done so and are in the majority. The result is the reputation that exists now.
The Government could have reviewed and reformed the DSA but it didn’t and instead let it be as its going on. It’s not just the application of the DSA but fear of what may happen if DSA is applied that haunts many. But DSA is largely about social media control though mainstream media is also affected. Hence there will naturally be concern what the control plans are behind launching a Bangladeshi Facebook and Whats app variation.
Let’s go back to the China model once more and see why there is tolerance of state control of social media. The answer is simple. People have benefited enormously in economic development, poverty alleviation and social security. More people have been lifted out of poverty in China than anywhere else and ever in history.
Corruption is not forgiven but the corrupt, whether officials or in the private sector including tycoons and senior officials are punished. The accountability system in China is internal but very strong and indigenous which is why China has been able to challenge the long held hegemony of the Western world.
Bangladesh needs to recognize that people will consider loss of social media freedom if it’s paid back in socio-economic terms. For that to happen there is a need for a higher level of governance efficiency. Let’s hope it’s achieved soon.
