The government formulated the cyber security act 2015 to rob people of their freedom of expression, speakers at a seminar have said.
The speakers also urged the government to ensure people’s freedom to express themselves by not implementing the draft law at a seminar at the National Press Club yesterday organised by the Moulik Adhikar Shurakkha Committee, who works for preserving the fundamental rights of citizens.
Barrister Sara Hossain said: “There is the ICT Act 2006 and a law against terrorism. Even the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission [BTRC] also has some power to curb cyber crime. In spite of all these, the government is enacting another law which is totally unnecessary.”
Media personality Muhammad Jahangir said: “They [government] have discovered that the court is the place to weaken people.”
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said the draft cyber security act is an offshoot of the ICT Act, which is being repeatedly used against a certain quarter.
“Bangladesh has become such a country where everything is decided by the court; this is very unfortunate,” the lawyer said.
He also said that the draft law has a clause that will enable police to collect digital evidence by breaking doors and windows of people’s houses. “This is ridiculous. It should be further refined.”
Information and communication technology professional Sayeed Ahmed said: “Some bureaucrats are developing this act as the government does not trust the lawmakers. Some clauses of the draft act are very hazy. At the end of the day, it is very important how you apply the law.”
Advocate Kazi Zahed Kamal said: “We could have updated or revised the ICT Act. There are some vague terms and issues in the act which can be used to harass people.”
Supreme Court practitioner Asaduzzaman said that the government is formulating the cyber security act to create fear among people and to protect dishonest public servants. “If the law is vague, the Supreme Court can scratch that law by obeying the constitution.”
Journalist Hana Shams said that the social media is a popular platform where anybody can write anything. “If the government formulates the new law, it would be a safe guard for the government.”
