Dhaka, July 30— In a recent press conference, Junaid Ahmed Palak, the Minister of State for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, revealed that over 50,000 cyber attack attempts have been made in the past ten days targeting eight key websites. The alarming statistic was disclosed after a discussion on cyber security measures at the ICT Tower in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Minister Palak expressed concerns about potential cyber attacks on critical sectors such as banking, garments, electricity, and energy. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that in addition to the targeted websites, cyber attackers had also attempted to breach the websites of 70 educational institutions across the country.

"We are especially concerned about cyber attacks on our banking sector, readymade garment industry, telecom sector, and power and energy sector," Palak stated. He assured that, thus far, the website of Bangladesh Bank remains secure, and no significant data breaches have occurred from other sites.

To address these threats, Palak announced the formation of a coordinated committee to oversee and implement necessary actions. He stressed the importance of conducting regular security audits in government institutions and warned against the use of VPNs and unlicensed pirated software, which can increase vulnerability to cyber threats.

The minister outlined three layers of cyber security measures: preventive actions, immediate responses following an attack, and swift measures in the aftermath of a hack or breach. He urged all organizations, especially those within the country's 35 critical information infrastructure (KPI) institutions, to report any cyber incidents to the ICT department without delay.

The meeting, which was attended by representatives from these 35 KPI institutions, highlighted the need for a concerted effort to bolster cyber security across all sectors. The state's commitment to protecting vital infrastructures from cyber threats was underscored, with Palak calling for immediate and coordinated action to safeguard the nation's digital assets.