Online Desk:  The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) will be celebrated on May 17 for the first time in the country to create public awareness about information communication and telecommunication technology.

“We’re going to celebrate WTISD in the country for the first time, and the Posts and Telecommunications Division (PTD) has taken various programs to mark the day on May 17 along with all stakeholders involved in digital innovations for sustainable development,” said State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak at a press conference here today.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development.”

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2024 will offer the chance to explore how digital innovation can help connect everyone and unlock sustainable prosperity for all. Palak said the Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology sector has witnessed massive development over the last 15 years under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

To mark the day, the ministry will hold a discussion at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium and distribute prizes among the winners of different competitions. Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry’s secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, among others, were present at the press conference.

According to the United Nations, the World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually on May 17 since 1969, marking the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in March 2006 stipulating that World Information Society Day shall be celebrated every year on May 17 to focus on the importance of ICT and the wide range of issues related to the information society.

The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) can have a positive impact on society as well as the economy.