Today, the camera, the smartphone, the 5G network, and the digital world bring a new dimension to make Bangladesh a more connected society. But as we gather data on citizens’ movement, identity, and daily life, we raise another pressing question: are we living in a time of technological progress or a time of digital dependency? In an era where digital surveillance has started to pervade public life and data security has become paramount, the question is not just one of innovation, but of sovereignty, privacy, and national resilience.
The question is even more pertinent in the digital landscape as China’s technology companies strengthen their presence in Bangladesh’s digital infrastructure – be it 4G and 5G networks, CCTV systems, smart cities or artificial intelligence. While these technologies help speed up development, they also raise hard questions about data privacy. Who has access to citizens’ personal information? What are the protections for the infrastructure that millions rely on? But might the dependence on technology become a strategic or political liability?
The ‘China Factor’ is not limited to ports, bridges or power plants in Bangladesh. In addition to the country’s mobile networks, surveillance cameras and data systems are a quieter, yet potentially more consequential chapter in the story of Chinese influence. It is not a question of whether Bangladesh is to accept technology but whether it can do so without losing the country’s digital sovereignty, national security and citizens’ data privacy. But Chinese influence is not limited to the Padma Bridge, power plants and infrastructure – it can be subtler, through 4G & 5G networks, CCTV, smart city and ICT, cloud services and AI.
Whether Chinese technology is reliable for foreign firms for vital digital infrastructure could become a strategic threat to the country’s security, politics and civil liberties. This is clearly seen in the CCTV industry, where manufacturers like Hikvision, Dahua, Huawei and ZTE have a strong foothold. Similarly, Bangladesh is also increasing its importance in smart city development and integrated urban management. Huawei has showcased technologies to enable different sensors and urban data to be monitored via an integrated system.
However, CCTV doesn’t equal artificial intelligence in the eyes of surveillance. A conventional camera can just take a picture of what happens. With the addition of technologies like facial recognition and vehicle tracking, AI analytics can provide surveillance systems with the power to analyse citizens’ movements and behaviour. This presents an important set of questions: Where will this be stored? Who will be entitled to it? How many hours will it be stored for?
This is one of the most important issues that Bangladesh faces. The concern isn’t just about Chinese technology, but extends to any critical digital systems that rely on foreign technology vendors. This is why it is important to have cybersecurity audits, robust data-protection measures and independent oversight. Huawei and ZTE have been players in Bangladesh’s telecoms infrastructure for a long time as well. In 2018, Huawei showcased 5G technology in Bangladesh and was subsequently engaged in 5G trial operations by Teletalk (Huawei). Additionally, in 2022, Grameenphone also piloted 5G technology from Huawei and ZTE. Its recent partnership with ZTE in the field of autonomous networks and AI technologies indicates that the impact of Chinese technology has gone beyond traditional network equipment.
The central issue in the controversy surrounding Chinese technology is more about who owns the data. While the digital transformation is bringing opportunities for the citizens of Bangladesh, it can also be a threat to freedom of expression and privacy through surveillance and censorship. Digital sovereignty is not about not using foreign technology. Instead, it is about ensuring that, though the country is using foreign technologies, it never compromises control of its critical data, network security and regulatory systems.
Technology does not necessarily have to impose censorship directly to create a chilling effect. If a journalist thinks that what they say, do, or do not say to a source may be subject to digital surveillance, he or she may be more cautious about investigating sensitive issues even if these are legal for the journalist to pursue.
A ban on Chinese technology is not the answer for Bangladesh. In order to be affordable and scalable, technology is crucial for a developing country. Telecommunications companies like Huawei and ZTE are critical to the telecommunications infrastructure in many countries. Rather, Bangladesh must have a vendor-neutral, security-first digital policy.
Reducing the heavy reliance on any single vendor or country, especially in critical infrastructure, is the first thing to be done. Secondly, independent cybersecurity audits and data impact assessments should be a requirement for CCTV and smart-city projects. Thirdly, sensitive data needs to be safeguarded with robust encryption, access logging, clear retention policies and enforceable legal protections. Meanwhile, the security of legitimate digital communications between journalists and citizens must be ensured. National security is certainly a high priority, but it cannot be used as an excuse for unlimited surveillance. The standards should apply to technology companies anywhere in the world, including China.
The whole point is not about Chinese and Western technology. It is all about the balance between technological development and respect for privacy, civil liberties and national digital sovereignty. Thus, the investment in technology must be welcomed in Bangladesh, but on its own terms; transparency, accountability and security must be the focus of all decisions.
Chinese tech is thus an opportunity and a threat to Bangladesh. CCTV can be effective in the fight against crime; however, poor data governance can lead to the risk of privacy. There is potential for economic growth with 5G, but because reliance is on a single vendor, there can be strategic vulnerabilities. The key to Bangladesh’s problem, then, should not be whether or not the technology is safe from China. The bigger question is: Has Bangladesh established the institutions and legal protections to keep any foreign technology within the limits of citizens’ rights and national interest?
Ports, bridges, or trade will not be the only determinants in the geopolitics of the future. It will also be determined by which technology is used to track citizens, which network they use to communicate, and who keeps their data, most significantly.
Bangladesh’s digital future goes beyond just the introduction of newer technologies; it’s also a matter of digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, and owning the country’s critical digital infrastructure. China can continue to be an important development partner, but strategic collaboration should be based on transparency, accountability and the establishment of clear protection for national security and citizens’ information. Trust must be strengthened, not taken for granted, via institutions in the digital world.
Technology can be imported at any point in time, but what can never be imported is Bangladesh’s ownership and control of the data and its governance. The real challenge in the country is neither development nor security, but ensuring that technological development does not take away the country’s digital independence.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author
The writer is an Associate Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong; Doctoral Research Scholar, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Jadavpur University, India. Email: [email protected]
