There is still time to bring amendments to Cyber Security Act: PM’s Adviser

The new proposed amendments to the Cyber Security Act are yet to be approved and time is available to bring all the necessary changes based on opinions from all the stakeholders, said Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahed-ur-Rahman on Saturday.

Zahed made the remark at a discussion session organised by the “Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC)” where the focus of talks were the treasury bench’s proposed changes to the law and the journalists’ opinions in this regard.

Zahed said that the BNP government will not abuse the Cyber Security Act or use it to coerce media outlets the same way the Awami League regime did.

The different approaches are reflected in the elected status of the governments, he said.

The Awami League regime enforced its decisions on anyone because it was not an elected government, whereas the BNP government is an elected administration and aspires to come to power in the future only through elections, Zahed added.

However, it also must be noted that disinformation has to be contained, and a law is needed to this end, Zahed said.

The country needs a cybersecurity act that can protect its people, Zahed added.

The treasury bench, led by BNP, has proposed new changes to the Cyber Security Act that came into effect in April. The changes allegedly would make the law similar to the Digital Security Act, which the Awami League regime endorsed and applied to control and check dissent.

The proposed amendments identify broad categories like “bullying” and “humiliation” as offences allowing for widespread interpretation and application.

The offences carry sentences of maximum five-month imprisonment and Tk20 lakh fine, significantly harsher than the sentences allowed under the now-scrapped Digital Security Act.