Maureen Hilyard has spent decades working on digital development and internet governance across Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Her work has ranged from expanding access to education and connectivity in remote communities to leadership roles with the Internet Society, ICANN and APRALO.

In an interview with The Daily Star, Hilyard discusses digital inclusion, internet governance, youth leadership, and the challenges of ensuring that technological change benefits communities often left at the margins.

Drawing on her experience in the Cook Islands and the wider Pacific, she reflects on lessons that may also resonate in countries such as Bangladesh.

You helped bring internet access to remote islands in the Cook Islands. What lessons from that experience could help Bangladesh improve connectivity in remote and underserved communities?

The Cook Islands and Bangladesh are very different in scale and resources, and Bangladesh has achieved remarkable digital progress. I would not presume to tell Bangladesh how to build its digital future.

But one important lesson is that digital inclusion is fundamentally a human issue, not simply a technological one. We first need to understand what people care about—education, health, family connections, and opportunity—and then provide connectivity that helps them achieve those goals.

In our outer islands, students once waited months for feedback from teachers. When internet connectivity arrived, that communication was reduced to days or even hours, transforming education and engagement. I have seen first-hand how even a simple message can have a profound emotional impact. That is why connectivity matters.

Bangladesh has expanded internet access significantly. What should its next priorities be?

People do not wake up wanting broadband. They want education, healthcare, communication, and opportunity. Internet access becomes meaningful only when it helps them achieve those things. The priority, therefore, is to ensure that connectivity translates into tangible benefits: better services, greater economic opportunity, and stronger human connections. That is the foundation of meaningful digital inclusion.

What role can local Internet Society chapters, including the Bangladesh chapter, play?

Local chapters are vital because they understand their communities best. The Pacific Islands Chapter, PICISOC, for example, brings together members from very different island contexts, each with its own challenges and cultures. Even within relatively small regions, needs can vary widely.

Shared platforms allow those voices to be heard locally, regionally and globally. No community is too small to contribute to conversations about internet governance. Stronger relationships between chapters can also improve knowledge-sharing and increase their collective impact.

Why should young professionals and policymakers in Bangladesh engage in global internet governance?

Participation begins with understanding internet governance at national and regional levels. Youth platforms such as the Bangladesh Youth IGF are excellent starting points. There are also regional and global opportunities through APrIGF, APNIC, ICANN fellowship programmes, and Internet Society initiatives. These platforms can help young people develop the skills, networks, and confidence needed to participate in multistakeholder internet governance.

What makes a national digital transformation strategy successful?

It depends heavily on a country’s priorities and requires strong government support. Without policy endorsement and alignment with national goals, digital transformation strategies are unlikely to succeed.

What digital challenges do island nations and Bangladesh have in common?

One of the central challenges is inclusion: ensuring that marginalised and underrepresented voices are heard. Whether in remote Pacific islands or rural Bangladesh, the principle is the same: meaningful participation matters.

Small or underrepresented communities can generate powerful ideas when they are given the opportunity. The challenge is to make sure those voices help shape wider discussions about the internet.

How can Bangladesh better engage young people in digital leadership?

The most effective youth programmes give young people responsibility, not simply a place in the room. Young people are not only the future; they are part of the present. Programmes such as NetMission, APIGA, APrIGF fellowships and ICANN initiatives provide mentorship and pathways into leadership. Those experiences can also create professional relationships and networks that last for years.

What should countries such as Bangladesh be preparing for over the next five years?

Rather than offering broad advice, I can share an example from our region. In the Cook Islands, we are developing an AI-based “knowledge keeper” intended to help preserve Indigenous language and culture.

It points to a wider challenge: ensuring that AI and other forms of digital innovation serve smaller languages and communities, rather than only the world’s largest markets. Preserving culture in the digital age will become an increasingly important global issue.

How can Bangladesh ensure its digital economy remains open, secure and inclusive?

Bangladesh has already made impressive progress in digital development. From my perspective, working in a very different context, I can only say that inclusive growth requires continuous attention to openness, security, and equitable access.

Sometimes, looking at a challenge from a very different scale can reveal lessons that are universal. But Bangladesh also has much that other countries and communities can learn from.