The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has urged Google to establish a local office in Bangladesh, introduce payment services and expand digital infrastructure as the country seeks deeper engagement with the global technology company.
The proposal was raised during a meeting between BTRC Chairman Major General Md Emdad ul Bari (retd) and Google South Asia Public Policy Head Kyle Gardner at the BTRC office in Agargaon on Sunday.
BTRC said Bangladesh’s large base of internet users makes stronger local engagement important and called on Google to take steps to expand its services and build a presence in the country.
During the meeting, BTRC also discussed the possibility of establishing a Google artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Bangladesh, training local engineers in AI, supporting startup entrepreneurs and encouraging investment in technology innovation.
Kyle Gardner said Google was interested in exploring potential areas of cooperation. He said the company would consider establishing a local office in Bangladesh in the future, while noting that some limitations currently remain.
BTRC also urged Google to strengthen measures to detect and remove harmful content from its platforms more quickly.
BTRC Chairman called for stronger action to prevent the misuse of Google platforms for promoting betting, gambling and illegal financial activities. He suggested using AI-based systems to automatically identify and remove such content.
The meeting also discussed expanding cooperation between Google and relevant government ministries and agencies to build a broader partnership.
Google South Asia Public Policy Head Kyle Gardner welcomed the suggestions and expressed the company’s willingness to work more closely with BTRC and relevant government bodies.
