Bangladesh

‘CSA will be repealed’

All black laws to be struck down in phases, says law adviser

Law Adviser Asif Nazul yesterday said the government will move towards repealing the controversial Cyber Security Act.

"Discussion will be held to make a decision…. Ultimately, it will be repealed. A new law will be formulated later to truly ensure citizens' safety in cyberspace. There must be special security measures for women and children.

"All black laws will be repealed in phases in order to make the people of Bangladesh free," he told a discussion at Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI) in the capital.

He said these after other discussants -- mostly legal experts, rights activists, academics, and journalists -- urged him to get rid of the "repressive" law.

Prof Asif said it was not possible for the interim government to do anything about those who were convicted during the Awami League regime, even if the court acted as per the will of those in power.

In such cases, a convict must apply to the government authorities concerned, he added.

Information Adviser Nahid Islam said the Digital Security Act (DSA) and the CSA were often misused as political tools.

"The Cyber Security Act needs to be repealed due to people's psychological trauma associated with it. But what will happen until the law is gone? Two cases have been filed under this act against individuals who made comments about us. We are embarrassed. A move must be made so that no more cases are filed under this act," he added.

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the discussants agreed that the CSA must be abolished because it was not amendable.

An authoritarian government formulated the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, DSA and CSA in order to stay in power, he said.

Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain said a whitepaper should be published on the experience of the victims of the ICT Act, DSA and CSA.

The cases filed under those laws must be withdrawn, she added.

SC lawyer Tanim Hussain Shawon said the judges, who abused the acts should be included in the whitepaper.

Constitution analyst Mohammad Shishir said, "In ensuring cyber security [with a new law] we must also protect investigative journalism and freedom of press…. No law should impose any restriction on investigative journalism."

Another SC lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan said there should be two separate laws regarding information technology-related offences and speech related offences.

The Dhaka Tribune's Executive Editor Reaz Ahmad said the ICT Act, DSA and CSA were not formulated for the interest of the people.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists General Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury said the CSA was enacted to muzzle the voice of the press.

Rights activist Sayed Abdullah said a separate law should be there to ensure the independence of the press.

Tariqul Islam, a coordinator of the students against discrimination movement, also said a separate law was needed to ensure journalists' safety.

Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra narrated her harrowing experience of getting arrested and suffering in jail for 15 months in cases filed under the DSA.

Shamsuddin Masum, private secretary to the law adviser, presented a draft of the government's proposal for amending the CSA with provisions for reducing the police's powers to arrest and search.

The Sheikh Hasina-led parliament passed the Cyber Security Bill on September 13 last year replacing the Digital Security Act, 2018. Both laws are widely criticised at home and abroad.

Former law minister Anisul Haq, now in jail, told parliament on June 5 last year that 7,001 cases were filed under the Digital Security Act across the country as of January 31, 2023.

On September 20 last year, the Editors' Council in a statement expressed grave concern about the cybersecurity act, saying that it gave police the power to search and arrest journalists without a warrant.

The law curtails freedom of speech and freedom of expression, said the statement, adding that the act would become a weapon to repress journalists and muzzle the press.

Comments

‘CSA will be repealed’

All black laws to be struck down in phases, says law adviser

Law Adviser Asif Nazul yesterday said the government will move towards repealing the controversial Cyber Security Act.

"Discussion will be held to make a decision…. Ultimately, it will be repealed. A new law will be formulated later to truly ensure citizens' safety in cyberspace. There must be special security measures for women and children.

"All black laws will be repealed in phases in order to make the people of Bangladesh free," he told a discussion at Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI) in the capital.

He said these after other discussants -- mostly legal experts, rights activists, academics, and journalists -- urged him to get rid of the "repressive" law.

Prof Asif said it was not possible for the interim government to do anything about those who were convicted during the Awami League regime, even if the court acted as per the will of those in power.

In such cases, a convict must apply to the government authorities concerned, he added.

Information Adviser Nahid Islam said the Digital Security Act (DSA) and the CSA were often misused as political tools.

"The Cyber Security Act needs to be repealed due to people's psychological trauma associated with it. But what will happen until the law is gone? Two cases have been filed under this act against individuals who made comments about us. We are embarrassed. A move must be made so that no more cases are filed under this act," he added.

Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the discussants agreed that the CSA must be abolished because it was not amendable.

An authoritarian government formulated the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, DSA and CSA in order to stay in power, he said.

Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain said a whitepaper should be published on the experience of the victims of the ICT Act, DSA and CSA.

The cases filed under those laws must be withdrawn, she added.

SC lawyer Tanim Hussain Shawon said the judges, who abused the acts should be included in the whitepaper.

Constitution analyst Mohammad Shishir said, "In ensuring cyber security [with a new law] we must also protect investigative journalism and freedom of press…. No law should impose any restriction on investigative journalism."

Another SC lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan said there should be two separate laws regarding information technology-related offences and speech related offences.

The Dhaka Tribune's Executive Editor Reaz Ahmad said the ICT Act, DSA and CSA were not formulated for the interest of the people.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists General Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury said the CSA was enacted to muzzle the voice of the press.

Rights activist Sayed Abdullah said a separate law should be there to ensure the independence of the press.

Tariqul Islam, a coordinator of the students against discrimination movement, also said a separate law was needed to ensure journalists' safety.

Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra narrated her harrowing experience of getting arrested and suffering in jail for 15 months in cases filed under the DSA.

Shamsuddin Masum, private secretary to the law adviser, presented a draft of the government's proposal for amending the CSA with provisions for reducing the police's powers to arrest and search.

The Sheikh Hasina-led parliament passed the Cyber Security Bill on September 13 last year replacing the Digital Security Act, 2018. Both laws are widely criticised at home and abroad.

Former law minister Anisul Haq, now in jail, told parliament on June 5 last year that 7,001 cases were filed under the Digital Security Act across the country as of January 31, 2023.

On September 20 last year, the Editors' Council in a statement expressed grave concern about the cybersecurity act, saying that it gave police the power to search and arrest journalists without a warrant.

The law curtails freedom of speech and freedom of expression, said the statement, adding that the act would become a weapon to repress journalists and muzzle the press.

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তিব্বতে ভূমিকম্পে নিহত অন্তত ৫৩

চীন জানিয়েছে রিখটার স্কেলে ভূমিকম্পের মাত্রা ছিল ৬.৮। তবে যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের ভূতাত্ত্বিক জরিপ সংস্থা (ইউএসজিএস) জানায়, ভূপৃষ্ঠ থেকে ১০ কিলোমিটার নিচে আহাত হানা এই ভূমিকম্পের মাত্রা ছিল ৭.১।

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