Home
+
Published : 07 Nov 2024, 07:57 PM
The interim government has given provisional approval to repeal the Cyber Security Act, often condemned as a "black law."
In a meeting chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday, the advisory council gave initial approval to the draft of the "Cyber Security Act (Repeal) Ordinance 2024."
The Cabinet Division later announced that pending vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, the ICT Division would submit the ordinance to the advisory council for final approval.
The law ministry, in consultation with the ICT Division, will draft a new law focused on ensuring “safety and security” in cyberspace, which will be presented at a future advisory council meeting.
The original Digital Security Act, passed by the Awami League government on Sept 19, 2018, faced sharp criticism from journalists, lawyers, intellectuals, and international human rights organisations for its potential misuse.
It replaced the ICT Act but retained controversial sections like Section 57, fuelling concerns over potential abuse.
The situation intensified when writer Mushtaq Ahmed died in custody in 2021 after being detained under the Digital Security Act, sparking public outrage and demands for the law’s repeal.
Despite assurances from then-law minister Anisul Huq to curb misuse of the act, arrests continued.
In March 2023, an early-morning arrest of a journalist under the act reignited debate, prompting fresh calls for its repeal.
Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, based in Paris, called on the Bangladeshi government to “end its attacks on the media for any criticism.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also urged the government to immediately halt the use of the law and reform it to align with international human rights standards.
In response, the government renamed the Digital Security Act as the Cyber Security Act, which passed parliament in Sept 2023.
Under the new law, Section 42 authorised police to conduct searches and make arrests without a warrant, which raised further concerns.
Since the fall of the Awami League government in August, various reform demands have emerged, including calls to repeal or amend all controversial laws.
ICT Advisor Nahid Islam said on Monday that the Cyber Security Act would be repealed within a week, along with the dismissal of all pending cases filed under it.
He added that all laws restricting freedom of expression are under review.
