Life in jail for propaganda against Liberation War, Bangabandhu

The draft was approved at the regular Cabinet meeting yesterday at the Secretariat in Dhaka, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “As per the law, if anyone conducts propaganda against the 1971 Liberation War, or any war-related issue that has been dismissed by court, or the father of the nation on any electronic medium, he or she will face life in prison in maximum and three years in minimum, or a maximum fine of Tk1 crore, or both prison and fine,” Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam told reporters after the meeting. The draft also proposed maximum 14 years and minimum two years in prison, or a fine of Tk1 crore, or both for cyber crimes and cyber terrorism. The law has been formulated in order to curb cyber crime in the country, said the cabinet secretary. “Matters that affect the unity and solidarity of people in Bangladesh and threaten the security of other countries, and issues that are linked to terrorism or promote terrorist activities are considered as cyber terrorism.” Crimes committed using computers, mobile phones or any digital device as well as digital forgery are punishable by a maximum of five years and a minimum or three years in prison or Tk3 lakh in fine, or both. “Using someone’s photographs without permission or distorting them on social media or any other digital platform is also punishable offence under the law,” Shafiul said. Offenders violating someone’s privacy will be imprisoned for two years, or fined Tk2 lakh, or both. Creating or promoting pornography will get the offenders a maximum of 10 years in prison or a minimum of two years, or Tk10 lakh fine. Defamation and hurting religious sentiment is punishable by two years in prison in maximum and two months in minimum, or Tk2 lakh in fine, or both. A maximum of seven years and a minimum of one year in prison, or Tk7 lakh in fine, or both will be awarded to anyone found to promote anarchy. The law also calls for the formation of Digital Security Agency, which will be run by its director general, to be appointed by the government. He or she will be empowered to direct any law enforcement agency to stop transmission of any information through computers, the cabinet secretary said. The Cabinet also approved, in principle, the draft of Meteorology Law 2016 in a bid to enact a new law considering global perspective. The cabinet secretary said under the new law, the existing directorate and the management of its officials and employees would be brought under a legal structure. The law has provisions for weather observation network, related establishments and their maintenance, and directives for quality observation. The highlights of the new law are the construction of national earthquake network and devising more effective system for weather observation, forecast and warnings.