The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) announced that Bangladesh has confirmed their decision to become a Member State in the organization, helping it strengthen and expand initiatives to empower more women, youth and entrepreneurs to realize the potential of the digital economy. H Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Bangladesh's state minister for information and communication technology, and the DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya, attended the signing of the charter on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Palak welcomed the announcement, stating: "The Digital Cooperation Organization helps countries to accelerate digital transformation. By joining the DCO, we will be able to share best practices and work together to address common challenges and build a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy for all." Commenting on signing the charter, AlYahya said: "Bangladesh has made significant progress in digitalization and Internet penetration rates, increasing digital literacy and developing initiatives to promote the use of digital technologies across multiple sectors. "The Digital Bangladesh Framework enables Bangladesh to become a digital knowledge-based economy and a leading global hub for digital services, marking a significant milestone in the country's digital transformation journey and accelerating the inclusive growth of the digital economy." "We are excited to have Bangladesh join the Digital Cooperation Organization as a new Member State at the next General Assembly and look forward to working with them to achieve our shared goals. The DCO provides a global platform for digital cooperation. "We are eager to share knowledge and best practices to implement scalable, forward-looking, and transformative digital solutions that will bridge the digital divide and enable digital prosperity for all," she continued. Bangladesh, with over 173.2 million people and a GDP of $460.20 billion, has consistently ranked among the world's fastest-growing economies for the past two decades. Bangladesh achieved a major milestone through Digital Bangladesh Framework 2021-2025 and have announced Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 to make Bangladesh a digital-first economy that will include appropriate policy intervention, co-creation principles to drive inclusive growth using emerging technologies, improved digital literacy, development of a skilled workforce, joint collaboration and timely deployment of initiatives in order to ensure greater public welfare and equitable opportunities for all leaving no one behind. — SG
