Sushmit Asif

Sushmit Asif

Policy technologist and data scientist with extensive experience in digital governance, cybersecurity, data governance, and AI policy for Bangladesh’s public sector.

Laws and Policies

I have contributed to the drafting of national legal and governance instruments for Bangladesh, working with government stakeholders to translate international best practices into implementable policy and institutional mechanisms.

National Laws and Legislative Frameworks

Personal Data Protection Law, 2026

This law establishes personal data as a form of property, granting individuals fundamental rights over their information. It introduces a "consent-first" framework for data processing while ensuring confidentiality, reliability, and security. Key features include the right to access, portability, and "system-wide propagation"—a mechanism that ensures if a citizen updates their data in one primary registry, the change is automatically reflected across all government systems.

National Data Governance Law, 2026

Designed to build a reliable national structure for data management, this law focuses on interoperability between public and private sectors. It mandates the creation of the National Responsible Data Exchange (NRDEX) platform to facilitate secure data sharing. The law also introduces the Citizen Digital Wallet, empowering individuals with data sovereignty and streamlining the delivery of government services through a unified identity management system.

Cyber Safety Law, 2026

Replacing older frameworks with more comprehensive protections, this law addresses modern digital threats including hacking, unauthorized data intrusion, and emerging crimes like "sextortion." It establishes a clear legal process for investigation, search, and seizure, while also creating a National Cyber Security Agency to provide oversight and technical advice on protecting the nation's critical information infrastructure.

Telecom Amendment Law, 2026

This amendment focuses on the modernization of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). It provides a legal bridge for the transition of legacy projects into a more robust statutory framework, ensuring that the regulatory body has the independence and technical authority required to manage the country's rapidly evolving digital communication landscape.

Postal Service Law, 2026

This landmark legislation modernizes colonial-era laws to transform the postal sector into a digital-first logistics hub. It introduces international address coding standards, digital location codes, and "family-tree mapping" for addresses to ensure continuity even during climate-related migrations. The law also establishes a Central Logistics Tracking Platform, allowing citizens to track packages across both public and private courier services from a single portal.

National Policies and Strategies

National AI Policy (draft) (2026–2030)

This strategic policy positions Bangladesh as a regional leader in the AI landscape. It emphasizes "human-centric" innovation, ensuring that AI development is ethical, transparent, and aligned with democratic values. The policy outlines a roadmap for integrating AI into public service delivery, agriculture, and healthcare, while establishing "guardrails" to manage risks like disinformation and algorithmic bias.

ICT Sector Governance Diagnostic and Accountability Assessment (2025)

A high-level diagnostic on ICT sector governance over a 15-year horizon, analyzing governance practices, risks, institutional weaknesses, and accountability mechanisms for Bangladesh's ICT Division.

Approach

These instruments reflect a focus on: