Editors’ Council proposes 12 safeguards for journalists in cyber law

The Editors’ Council has proposed 12 safeguards for journalists and media organisations under the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026, including a requirement for judicial authorisation before any legal action is taken against journalists.
The recommendations were submitted to the office of Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmad for onward submission to the information and broadcasting minister.
The recommendations made in the 12-point proposal are:
Protect journalism: News reports, investigations, analysis and opinions published professionally or in the public interest must not be treated as cybercrime solely for their content or critical stance.
Safeguard criticism: Political criticism, satire, cartoons, parody and fair comment on government policies and public officials must remain protected.
Ensure clear definitions: Vague terms such as “demeaning the state” should be removed, while online offences must be precisely defined.
Distinguish misinformation: Incorrect, incomplete or unverified information should not automatically attract criminal liability.
Require judicial approval: Arrests, searches, seizures, surveillance and access to journalists’ devices or data should require prior court approval.
Review emergencies: Emergency actions must undergo judicial approval or review within 48 hours.
Keep offences bailable: Cases involving freedom of expression should remain bailable.
Ensure transparency: Content removal and blocking orders must cite legal grounds, provide written reasons and allow appeals and judicial review.
Protect against arbitrary blocking: Emergency restrictions should face court review within 48 hours, with public disclosure of blocking decisions.
Strengthen the Press Council: Defamation, publication and journalistic ethics complaints should, where appropriate, follow Press Council procedures rather than direct criminal proceedings.
Prevent collective punishment: Media organisations should not face closure or disproportionate penalties over individual reports; journalists’ sources must also be protected.
Ensure independent oversight: The National Cyber Security Council should become a multi-stakeholder oversight body with clear powers, accountability and transparency.
The Editors’ Council urged the government to revise the draft law, stressing that cybersecurity and press freedom can advance together through legal safeguards, accountability and independent oversight.
Don’t tie our hands, you’ll need us again: NOAB President Matiur Rahman
Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, president of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), urged the government not to curb press freedom through the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, warning that political power is not permanent and those in office today may one day need the media’s support.
Speaking at a roundtable in Dhaka, Matiur Rahman, also editor-in-chief of the Daily Manab Zamin, called for a clear distinction between cybercrime and criticism of the government, cautioning that vague legal provisions could be used to silence journalists and undermine democratic accountability.
The incumbent government seeks to enact laws to curb criticism, yet once they lose power, they themselves become victims of injustice, he said while addressing the programme organised by a total of 19 organisations, including TIB, BRAC, BLAST and Mohila Parishad in Dhaka.
“Please don’t tie our hands again. Tying our hands will only harm you. If you do so, we will no longer be able to write for you. One day, you will have to come back to us,” he said during the programme held at the office of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in Dhaka’s Dhanmodi area.
Proposed cyber law to backfire on govt: TIB chief
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman warned that the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act could backfire on the government, urging it to reconsider the draft.
He said the proposed law appeared aimed at consolidating power and restricting freedom of expression.
Misinformation and disinformation could not be effectively controlled through legislation alone, he said, stressing the need for cooperation with digital platforms and stronger accountability for social media companies.
Criminalising people’s rights in the name of combating misinformation is unjustified, he added. 
Besides, the Editors’ Council has strongly condemned the killing of journalist Lutfuzzaman Fakir Alif, describing it as a grave attack on press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to know.
The killing was not merely the taking of a citizen’s life but also a serious blow to independent journalism and democratic values, the Editors’ Council said in a statement on Sunday.