Complain on cops denying DSA infoPowered by Froala Editor
Information Commission to deliver verdict on Feb 2
A citizen had sought the information in line with Sections 9(1) and 9(2) of the RTI Act
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Tribune Report
Publish : 11 Jan 2022, 11:21 PMUpdate : 12 Jan 2022, 08:24 PM
The Information Commission of Bangladesh held a hearing after a citizen complained last year that the Bangladesh Police did not provide inquired information regarding the Digital Security Act (DSA 2018) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The information commission, led by the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Martuza Ahmed, along with Information Commissioner Suraiya Begum and Abdul Malek, set February 2 for delivering their verdict in this regard.
Information Commissioner Suraiya Begum said that the commission had heard what the two sides had said and also received documents from them. They will now analyze these documents and deliver their order.
Saad Hammadi, a Bangladeshi citizen and Amnesty International official, said that the Right to Information Act pro-people law had created an opportunity for the authorities to be accountable and transparent to people through providing them with information.
“As there has been extensive review and criticism of the Digital Security Act, I, as a writer, researcher, human rights defender and most importantly as a citizen of Bangladesh, exercised my right given to me by the Right to Information Act. I still did not receive the information,” he added.
Hammadi, who works for Amnesty’s South Asia Regional Office in Sri Lanka, on June 7 last year, sought information about the number of cases filed, number of people accused and number of people arrested under the Digital Security Act since the law was introduced and the monthly breakdown of the same information between January and May 2021.
As the designated officer did not provide the information within 30 working days as stipulated under section 9(1) and 9(2), Saad Hammadi filed an appeal to the Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
Despite a legal stipulation to dispose of an appeal within 15 days of application, Saad Hammadi did not receive any response and therefore filed a complaint at the Information Commission of Bangladesh on August 10, 2021.
According to Barrister Taiful Seraj, who represented Bangladesh police at the hearing, “the information the applicant, Saad Hammadi, requested is highly sensitive and they had sensed a scheming intention in the inquiry.”
He said the law enforcing agency was suspicious over the motive of the applicant as he was staying abroad and inquired why Saad Hammadi wanted to know the information being in Sri Lanka and how he was concerned with this information.
“We have seen many people spreading hatred abroad. It is not clear what “malafide” intention he has,” the lawyer said, adding that the applicant had not given any reply to the question,” he said.
Meanwhile, on August 22 last year, Bangladesh Police Assistant Inspector General of Media and Public Relations Sohel Rana signed a letter saying that the authorities had dismissed the RTI request, citing Section 7(f),(g) and (m) of the RTI Act, which states that a disclosure of the information that Saad Hammadi requested could “obstruct the enforcement of law or incite offence”, “endanger security of public or impede due judicial process of a pending case”, and “affect investigation process of offence, arrest and prosecution”.
As many as 457 people of all professions have been prosecuted and arrested in 198 cases filed under the draconian Digital Security Act, notes the UK-based Article 19 in its 2020 annual report.
Meanwhile, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) said that some 1,134 cases had been filed under DSA and 883 cases were filed with police stations, while some 251 cases were filed in court.
Complain on cops denying DSA infoPowered by Froala Editor
Information Commission to deliver verdict on Feb 2
A citizen had sought the information in line with Sections 9(1) and 9(2) of the RTI Act
The Information Commission of Bangladesh held a hearing after a citizen complained last year that the Bangladesh Police did not provide inquired information regarding the Digital Security Act (DSA 2018) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The information commission, led by the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Martuza Ahmed, along with Information Commissioner Suraiya Begum and Abdul Malek, set February 2 for delivering their verdict in this regard.
Information Commissioner Suraiya Begum said that the commission had heard what the two sides had said and also received documents from them. They will now analyze these documents and deliver their order.
Saad Hammadi, a Bangladeshi citizen and Amnesty International official, said that the Right to Information Act pro-people law had created an opportunity for the authorities to be accountable and transparent to people through providing them with information.
“As there has been extensive review and criticism of the Digital Security Act, I, as a writer, researcher, human rights defender and most importantly as a citizen of Bangladesh, exercised my right given to me by the Right to Information Act. I still did not receive the information,” he added.
Hammadi, who works for Amnesty’s South Asia Regional Office in Sri Lanka, on June 7 last year, sought information about the number of cases filed, number of people accused and number of people arrested under the Digital Security Act since the law was introduced and the monthly breakdown of the same information between January and May 2021.
As the designated officer did not provide the information within 30 working days as stipulated under section 9(1) and 9(2), Saad Hammadi filed an appeal to the Inspector General of Bangladesh Police.
Despite a legal stipulation to dispose of an appeal within 15 days of application, Saad Hammadi did not receive any response and therefore filed a complaint at the Information Commission of Bangladesh on August 10, 2021.
According to Barrister Taiful Seraj, who represented Bangladesh police at the hearing, “the information the applicant, Saad Hammadi, requested is highly sensitive and they had sensed a scheming intention in the inquiry.”
He said the law enforcing agency was suspicious over the motive of the applicant as he was staying abroad and inquired why Saad Hammadi wanted to know the information being in Sri Lanka and how he was concerned with this information.
“We have seen many people spreading hatred abroad. It is not clear what “malafide” intention he has,” the lawyer said, adding that the applicant had not given any reply to the question,” he said.
Meanwhile, on August 22 last year, Bangladesh Police Assistant Inspector General of Media and Public Relations Sohel Rana signed a letter saying that the authorities had dismissed the RTI request, citing Section 7(f),(g) and (m) of the RTI Act, which states that a disclosure of the information that Saad Hammadi requested could “obstruct the enforcement of law or incite offence”, “endanger security of public or impede due judicial process of a pending case”, and “affect investigation process of offence, arrest and prosecution”.
As many as 457 people of all professions have been prosecuted and arrested in 198 cases filed under the draconian Digital Security Act, notes the UK-based Article 19 in its 2020 annual report.
Meanwhile, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) said that some 1,134 cases had been filed under DSA and 883 cases were filed with police stations, while some 251 cases were filed in court.
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