Facebook agreed to help Bangladesh government on security issues, Home Minister Kamal says

Facebook Inc has agreed to assist Bangladesh government on security issues, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said.

The minister was speaking to reporters at the secretariat after meeting two officials of the social networking site on Sunday.
 
"We have informed [them] about our problems. And those representing the Facebook authorities told us how much they would be able to help us," Kamal said.
 
Kamal along with two other ministers held discussions with two Facebook representatives— South Asia Law Enforcement Specialist Vikram Langeh and Public Policy Manager Deepali Liberhan - earlier in the day.
 
"We had a fruitful discussion with them,” Kamal said.
 
Kamal said the ministers had told the Facebook officials "what the government needs for security".
 
"They listened to us. They said they would help us," he said.
 
On the matter of what sort of help the government had sought from the Facebook authorities, the home minister said, “We have discussed how Facebook is being abused by many while many others are conducting propaganda. And there are issues of national security as well."
 
He also said the two sides had dwelt on the issue of whether the social networking site could be filtered.
 
With Home Minister Kamal at the meeting were State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim and State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.

The home minister said that the discussions centred on the questions raised by the country’s intelligence and security forces. ‘’All issues related to Facebook were focused on," the home minister added.

"They have told us all about how much they will be able to help us. I think it was a good discussion," he said.

Kamal said the details of the meeting would be made known 'soon' after review.

The government has kept the social networking site, its messenger app and several other communication apps blocked for the past several weeks on grounds of national security.

Asked when the site would be reopened, Kamal said, "We have many things in mind. We'll take steps [to open the site] soon after handling these."

Tarana Halim had said before the meeting that the government would put emphasis on a quick response from the Facebook authorities should complaints be made.

She had also said the government wanted to reach a deal with Facebook Inc.