Over two-thirds of the cases filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) during the period of January 2020-June 2021 were filed by the leaders of political parties, their associate bodies and members of the law enforcing agencies. A large majority of the accused in these cases are either politicians, journalists or teachers and students.
Presenting the findings of a study in the city on Thursday, a media development organization recommended the immediate amendment of the DSA, which is largely being abused in its current form.
Discussants at the event noted with deep concern that police in most of the DSA cases ultimately submitted final reports, which was a manifestation of the fact that DSA was being abused, in most cases, to intimidate journalists and harass political rivals.
Hasanul Huq Inu, whose time as information minister the DSA was passed and who defended its enactment, saying it would help prevent “yellow journalism”, made a fervent call on Thursday for amendments to be brought to the law without any delay.
On Inu’s watch the DSA was enacted. All organizations of the media fraternity at the time pleaded with him and his ministry not to go for that law as it contained harsher provisions than its preceding law – ICT Act and its Section 57, which were allegedly largely misused in the past.
Inu, a ruling coalition member, is now serving as head of the parliamentary standing committee on information ministry.
Society for Media and Suitable Human Communication Techniques (Somashte) in its report said that 94% of media practitioners that it took opinions from have asked for either repealing the DSA or making necessary amendments so that the law is not misused to gag the media.
Experts, journalists and academics took part in the discussion, expressing the view that a climate of intimidation was not helpful for media freedom in the country.
