UNESCO delegation meets JS deputy speaker

A delegation from UNESCO, led by its head of office and representative to Bangladesh Susan Vize, made a courtesy call on Jatiya Sangsad Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal at his office in parliament on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the deputy speaker said that freedom of expression is recognised as a fundamental right in the constitution of Bangladesh, read a press release. 

However, he stressed that the deliberate spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media to create social disorder does not fall within the ambit of this right. 

Kamal underscored the importance of arranging training programmes involving members of parliament and relevant stakeholders on the issue.

He also noted that children in Bangladesh are benefiting significantly from UNESCO’s programmes in education, culture, and information technology. 

Emphasising the growing challenges in the digital sphere, he said it is essential to raise public awareness about cybercrime and cybersecurity laws. 

The UNESCO delegation said they would continue to work collaboratively to strengthen media development, fact-checking mechanisms, professional standards in journalism, and citizens’ access to information.

Issues related to bilateral cooperation in education, information technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity were also discussed during the meeting.

Members of the UNESCO delegation and relevant officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were present on the occasion.