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The amendment will be done after consultations with civil society and other stakeholders, says the law minister
File photo of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq Dhaka Tribune
Tribune Desk
Published: May 21, 2023 8:07 AM | Last updated: May 21, 2023 8:07 AM
Law Minister Anisul Huq has said that the country's Digital Security Act (DSA) will be amended by September this year.
Reaffirming the government's commitment to safeguarding human rights, the law minister said the amendment will be done after consultations with civil society and other stakeholders.
The minister made the remarks at a panel discussion on digital, freedom of expression and opinion held to mark the 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Sunday.
United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh in partnership with Brac University Law Department organized the roundtable discussion, reads a press release.
The roundtable brought independent experts, human rights activists, journalists, and students together.
The event was also attended UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis. A technical expert from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), who joined the roundtable via video link.
Addressing the roundtable, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, noted that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) provided the Government of Bangladesh with detailed technical comments to assist with a revision of the DSA and underlined the necessity to have a dialogue with the youth.
“I am grateful that the Honourable Minister Anisul Huq and respected guests are participating in this dialogue between the government, civil society, and the youth to exchange perspectives on progress and challenges related to the digital laws of Bangladesh and international standards. Only by having these discussions and listening to each other, we can build a just and inclusive society,” he added.
Earlier this year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for immediate suspension of the Digital Security Act (DSA), as more than 2,000 cases have been filed under this law including the case against Matiur Rahman, the editor of the media outlet Prothom Alo.
OHCHR explained the comments the Office of the High Commissioner had sent to the government and stressed upon specific definitions, allowing for bail, and limiting extensive powers given to the police. Several eminent panellists presented their views on the digital governance of Bangladesh, making recommendations for improvement.
The roundtable was attended by dozens of students from five universities in Bangladesh. Their participation in the discussion highlighted the important role of young people in shaping the future of human rights in particular in the digital space.
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Earlier in March......
Minister: Govt will consider updating Digital Security Act if needed
TIB demands the repeal of the Digital Security Act, which has been criticized by many over the years
File Photo: Dhaka Tribune
UNB
Published: March 14, 2023 7:09 AM | Last updated: March 14, 2023 7:09 AM
The government will consider updating the Digital Security Act (DSA) if needed, Law Minister Anisul Huq said on Tuesday.
“We are taking criticisms into consideration. The law was enacted to ensure digital security; we will hold onto this aim,” he said.
The minister sat in a meeting with representatives of civil society when the parties discussed the law, criticized by many terming it draconian. Many say the DSA is regularly used to harass people.
“We discussed their concerns about the DSA. We will also talk about the Data Protection Act. We will again sit to discuss the laws,” he added.
Both parties agreed to have another meeting on the DSA on March 30.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said they demanded the abolition of the DSA.
“We pointed out our concerns about the DSA. There is no chance to make the DSA acceptable. The law minister also talked about the misuse of this law. We think the law should be abolished,” he added.
They will discuss the new draft of the Data Protection Law in another meeting on April 6.
“We would like to see the new draft positively. The government has given us an opportunity to review the draft. We hope they will consider suggestions,” said Iftekharuzzaman.
Dhaka University International Relations Prof Dr CR Abrar, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, academic and activist Rezaur Rahman Lenin, rights activist Md Saimum Reza Talukder, and Sharmin Khan, were present, among others.
