DHAKA, May 11, 2023 (BSS) - Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) Director General Paul Wilson has expressed his eagerness to provide technical support to Bangladesh in routing Internet Protocol Version (IPv4) to IPv6 for improving the internet services.

Paul Wilson expressed the keenness when he paid a courtesy call on Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar at his ministry office in the Secretariat here on Wednesday, said a press release today.

During the meeting, they discussed many issues including the need for expansion of broadband internet connection and the benefits of building a digital connectivity highway in the country with better customer service.
Highlighting the country's progress in the digital connectivity, Jabbar said work is underway in a planned way to implement the IPv6. 

"Import of IPv4 and IPv6 enabled routers has been made compulsory. Network security is essential for the digital security," he said, adding that the government is determined to implement IPv6 for the digital security.

"We have not only created a highway of digital connectivity in the last 14 years under the 'Digital Bangladesh' programme, but also bought down the internet price from Taka 27,000 per Mbps to Taka 60," he said.

Noting that digital discrimination has been eliminated by fixing 'one country, one rate', Jabbar said the internet use in the country was 7.5 Gbps and the number of users was 8 lakh in 2008, while the internet use has now increased to 4,100 Gbps and the users to 12 crore.

The government is working to reach high-speed internet service to the doorsteps of every people across the country, the minister said, adding that the high-speed internet has already reached to the country's almost all unions.

"We have been able to reach 4G network for mobile phones in 98 percent areas of the country. In 2021, we introduced 5G technology," he added.
Terming the progress of Bangladesh in creating digital connectivity as a big success in the Asia Pacific Region, Paul assured of providing support for proper training for network service providers including network engineers.