ICANN Outreach Program Held at BTRC with CORNQ as Sponsor

We are delighted to share the success of the ICANN Outreach Program, held at the BTRC building in Agargaon, Dhaka, on July 11 and 14, 2024. As a proud community sponsor, CORNQ was thrilled to support this significant event that gathered IT professionals, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss digital economic prosperity and the importance of expanding the use of the .bangla domain.

Event Highlights

The program, a joint initiative by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and the Bangladesh Domain Industry, was marked by insightful discussions and strategic proposals.

Key Discussions

1. Increased Use of .bangla Domain: The program emphasized the need to enhance the utilization of the .bangla domain to boost digital economic growth.
2. Opening .bd Domain to Private Sector: Proposals were made to open the .bd domain to private organizations, both domestic and international, to foster a competitive and innovative environment.

Notable Speakers and Presentations

• State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, participated virtually as the chief guest and emphasized the importance of adopting new GTLDs like .bangla, .court, .Dhaka, and .summit to position Bangladesh strongly in the domain industry.
• Director General of BTRC, Brigadier General Kazi Mustafizur Rahman, presented a compelling proposal to increase the use of the .bangla domain and open the .bd domain to private organizations.
• Sameeran Gupta, Leader of Government Affairs and Public Policy at ICANN, joined virtually from Delhi and shared insights on the market potential and security of domains, highlighting the growth of regional language-based top-level domains and the overall market expansion since 2012.

 

Achievements and Future Directions

The event successfully underscored the importance of enhancing the digital infrastructure and expanding the domain industry in Bangladesh. Key takeaways included:

• The necessity of universal acceptance of the Bengali language on the Internet.
• The potential benefits of a public-private partnership in the innovation process.
• The readiness to propose new GTLDs by April 2026.

 

First-Day Program Highlights

 

CORNQ’s Role and Commitment

As a community sponsor, CORNQ is committed to supporting initiatives that drive digital innovation and economic growth. We believe in the potential of the domain industry to create new business opportunities and enhance internet security and infrastructure.

The ICANN Outreach Program in Dhaka was a resounding success, bringing together experts and stakeholders to chart the future of the digital economy in Bangladesh. We look forward to continuing our support for such initiatives and contributing to the growth and development of the Internet ecosystem.

For more details about the event, visit the ICANN Outreach Program website.