The Editors’ Council has expressed its deep disappointment as the government has yet to make amendments to the much discussed Digital Security Act, 2018, despite promises of further dialogue.
The council, a platform of newspaper editors in the country, held a meeting at The Daily Star Centre on Monday, where they said that no efforts had been made yet to address the grievances of the journalists and the media community, and no step had been taken to amend the law in the last session of the 10th parliament, which took place in October.
The council noted with concern that the law was already in use against media people before the framing of rules that are supposed to govern its use.
There have also been cases of threats made against media houses that cases will be filed under the law to prevent them from carrying out their job, it said.
The council also expressed serious concern at the widespread use of defamation cases against journalists and editors with a view to harassing them.
They also pointed out that while the law clearly provides that only the aggrieved individuals are entitled to file defamation cases, people not falling under the legal definition of aggrieved individuals are filing such cases, and the courts are accepting them.
The council demanded that such abuse of law be immediately stopped, and the legal provision be strictly followed in defamation cases.
The council also urged all political parties participating in the upcoming general election to incorporate a pledge to amend the Digital Security Act in their election manifestos.
Presided over by News Today Editor Reazuddin Ahmed, the meeting was attended by Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of Manabzamin, Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age, Matiur Rahman, editor of the Prothom Alo, Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, Naem Nizam, editor of Bangladesh Pratidin, Alamgir Mohiuddin, editor of Naya Diganta, MA Malek, editor of Dainik Azadi, Md Mozammel Haque, editor of Karatoa, M Shamsur Rahman, editor of The Independent, Saiful Alam, acting editor of Jugantor, Dewan Hanif Mahmud, editor of Bonik Barta, Zafar Sobhan, editor of Dhaka Tribune, Shahiduzzaman Khan, acting editor ofThe Financial Express, and Mustafiz Shafi, acting editor of Samakal.
