The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the stable and secure operation of the global Internet.
In this exclusive interview, Samiran Gupta, managing director for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region at ICANN, shares his insights on Bangladesh’s internet infrastructure, domain usage, universal acceptance, and how stakeholders—from technical experts to journalists—can actively participate in shaping the future of the internet.
What is your observation about the overall Internet infrastructure and the Internet Operational Community in Bangladesh?
Samiran Gupta: Let me begin by giving you a little background on our engagement with the Bangladeshi community, followed by some best practices. We've been closely working with the technical community in Bangladesh for a considerable time. This includes capacity building and training initiatives for the country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) .bd and. bangla. We've also collaborated with organizations like BDNOG, ISPAB, BASIS, and BDIX. Additionally, we've worked with BTCL to support operational best practices for .bd and. Bangla.
We’ve offered technical assistance as needed—for example, recently when the .bd zone experienced downtime due to a DNSSEC operational issue, ICANN provided support to minimize disruption. Our engagement is both planned and on an ad hoc basis.
We're also involved in promoting Universal Acceptance (UA) and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), having sponsored several events around these topics. For any technical community, it's vital to uphold best practices that ensure the security, stability, and resilience of the Domain Name System (DNS). That's a fundamental mission we support.
What is your view on the .bd and. Bangla domains? How can their use be increased?
Samiran Gupta: These are country-specific, market-driven issues. The user base and domain adoption levels depend heavily on local dynamics. However, it’s clear that a stronger marketing push is needed. The community needs to evaluate why adoption isn’t higher and what can be done from a local perspective. ICANN is ready to offer any support that might be required.
Is it important to raise awareness about Universal Acceptance (UA) in Bangladesh? How can UA improve user experience?
Samiran Gupta: Absolutely. UA interventions can occur at multiple levels—whether at ISPs or ccTLD operators. You can explore global developments at uasg.tech. More recently, we've developed a 12-module academic course for university integration, covering both programming and best practices.
There may still be gaps in awareness about how IDNs and TLDs function, and many operators face implementation challenges. Once these are better understood, both users and operators stand to benefit significantly. Since Bangla is your primary language, increasing UA training among the local technical community would be a great step forward.
ICANN organizes three major conferences each year in different locations. How can Bangladesh become a host country?
Samiran Gupta: We are open to proposals from all regions. Several factors influence host city selection, including connectivity, travel costs, accommodation, meeting facilities, IT infrastructure, and security. Full details are available at ICANN Meeting Host Criteria. If there's a local entity interested in hosting, we’d be happy to discuss the requirements.
What is your opinion on the participation of non-technical individuals (policymakers, journalists, civil society) in ICANN conferences? How can their involvement be increased?
Samiran Gupta: ICANN operates on a multi-stakeholder model, which welcomes both technical and non-technical participants. We encourage anyone interested in supporting ICANN’s mission to get involved—whether from government, business, academia, civil society, or as end users.
A good starting point is the ICANN for Beginners page. It helps newcomers navigate the various facets of our work. Additionally, we have five regional At-Large Organizations (RALOs), and the Asia-Pacific Regional At-Large Organization (APRALO) is particularly active. My team and I in the APAC region are always available to guide new participants.
How can ICANN promote greater involvement of journalists in its conferences?
Samiran Gupta: Our meetings are open to all who register. While we don’t have a dedicated category for journalists, they are welcome to participate based on their interests—whether technical, business-related, or civil society-oriented. My team and I are always happy to have conversations with media professionals to support their involvement.
ICANN has a multi-stakeholder community. How can people become active participants?
Samiran Gupta: As I mentioned earlier, starting locally or regionally is often the best approach. Attend community or regional events first; this helps you build connections and understand the context. When you eventually attend a global ICANN meeting, you’ll be better prepared.
You can also get involved through ICANN working groups, depending on your time and interest. Our policymaking process is entirely bottom-up, meaning every voice counts.
Does ICANN offer resources in languages other than English? Are there plans to develop localized resources in Bangla?
Samiran Gupta: That's a great question. Traditionally, ICANN provides materials in the six UN languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Occasionally, content is translated into other languages for specific audiences.
We recently launched an on-demand translation program leveraging AI and neural machine translation. This will allow materials related to the next round of the new gTLD program to be translated into languages like Bangla.
While the initial translation might not be perfect, we plan to collaborate with local communities to improve accuracy. This is a pilot initiative, and if successful, it could significantly expand our translation efforts. We'd be delighted to partner with you in this process.
Samiran Gupta, Managing Director for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region at ICANN
