Govt to work with Meta, Google against online misinformation: Tech Minister

The government will engage with global technology companies, including Meta and Google, to curb the spread of online misinformation, disinformation and other harmful content targeting the government, Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said on Tuesday.

"Bullying, falsehoods and harassment on social media in the name of freedom of speech will be strictly controlled, and the government will not allow such activities to continue," he said while inaugurating the Cyber Incident Reporting System (CIRS) at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) auditorium in Agargaon.

Fakir said the government is committed to ensuring a safer digital environment as cyber threats continue to grow alongside the rapid expansion of online services.

He noted that the increasing use of digital platforms in banking, healthcare, education, e-commerce and public services has also heightened the risks of cyberattacks, ransomware, data breaches, online fraud and identity theft.

To address these challenges, the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has launched the Cyber Incident Reporting System (CIRS), a centralised web-based platform that enables citizens, businesses and institutions to report cyber incidents quickly and efficiently through report.ncsa.gov.bd.

The minister described the platform as more than a complaint management system, saying it is designed to strengthen trust between citizens and the state by ensuring prompt reporting and response to cyber incidents.

Alongside CIRS, the government also introduced the National Rating System (NRS), which will assess the cybersecurity preparedness of public and private institutions, identify vulnerabilities and help improve national cyber resilience.

Officials said the CIRS platform will allow users to report incidents including hacking or unauthorised access, cyber fraud, online harassment, rumours and disinformation, data leaks, identity theft and other harmful online content.

Complainants can submit details of an incident, including when it occurred, the extent of the damage and supporting evidence such as screenshots, documents, images or links to websites and social media accounts.

After a complaint is filed, the system will automatically generate a unique tracking ID, enabling users to monitor the progress of their case through verification, investigation and resolution.

Under the reporting process, designated officials at the upazila level will first verify complaints and may seek additional information if necessary. Cases that cannot be resolved locally will be escalated to the district level, while complex or nationally significant incidents will be referred directly to the National Cyber Security Agency for technical analysis and action.

Officials said the system follows a structured process involving reporting, verification, analysis, escalation, response, monitoring and resolution.

The National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and other law enforcement agencies will have tiered access to system summaries, statistics and trends to support coordinated risk assessment, evidence-based decision-making and stronger national cybersecurity oversight.