Court asks BTRC about steps against phone call leaks

A Dhaka court has asked the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission about what steps it has taken to prevent eavesdropping on private phone conversations.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 June 2021, 02:51 PM
Updated : 22 June 2021, 02:51 PM

A legal notice was sent by mail to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, secretaries to Posts and Telecommunications Division and Information and Communication Technology Division and the office of BTRC’s chairman on Tuesday.

The notice was sent by Advocate Shishir Monir on behalf of 10 Supreme Court lawyers, asking for a response within seven days.

“We’ve given them seven days to provide details of the moves taken. If a response is not provided within the said duration or if the response is unacceptable, a writ petition challenging the inactivity of those involved will be filed with the High Court,” Monir told bdnews24.com.

As many as 16 eavesdropping instances since 2013 were mentioned in the notice.

These include Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s talks with the then opposition party leader Begum Khaleda Zia and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s conversation with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Another phone conversation between late BNP leader Moudud Ahmed and Rajshahi Metropolitan Police’s Assistant Commissioner Nazmul Hasan was also leaked online.

The notice pointed out Article 43 of the Constitution recognises the protection of the privacy of letters and other means of communication as a fundamental right of citizens. The Constitution guarantees the right.

Protecting privacy in communication is one of the fundamental rights mentioned in the third section of the Constitution.

The notice also said that according to Section 30 (f) of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Act, 2001, it is the responsibility of the Commission to ensure the protection of the privacy of telecommunications. But such incidents of phone conversation leaks are quite frequent.