Digital Colonialism: The Struggle for Data Independence in the Global South

BIPSS Research Associate Mohosina Mostofa Mity discussed in this commentary how countries in the Global South, including Bangladesh, face a new form of digital dependence as foreign tech firms control critical data, AI systems, and cloud infrastructure. Highlighting recent cyber incidents, regulatory challenges, and emerging local initiatives, she emphasizes the urgent need for sovereign digital infrastructure, strong laws, skilled workforce development, and strategic partnerships to transform data from a vulnerability into a national asset.