Criminality of administrative eavesdropping

A move by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the infamous National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC) was reportedly underway last month. The BSEC sought approval for this from the Financial Institutions Division--- another setup created by the ousted government with the ulterior motive to bend monetary policy and banking rules---of the Ministry of Finance. Had the Hasina-led government not fallen, the approval would most likely be granted. Now the purpose of this approach was to monitor, in reality eavesdrop on investors in order to 'identify people who are involved in destabilising (share) market through manipulation, inside trading, and spreading false propaganda'. Sounds lofty but in effect hides the real motive to help the intriguing clique of big businesses responsible for stock-market collapses in the past.

This is a dangerous ploy by any reckoning. The intelligence agency NTMC under a brigadier general was given the authority 'to monitor, collect, and record information and communications data of institutions and individuals.' By intercepting electronic communications such as phone calls, e-mails, social media accounts it assumed the role of the Big Brother unfolding the dreaded Orwellian vision of a society under constant surveillance. Thus wrapped in an iron curtain, individuals can be turned into numbers instead of human beings under such a terrorised dispensation. If this surveillance mechanism is put in place, it naturally leads to arrangements like 'Aina ghar' (glass house) because this cannot but issue out of the head of a psychopath. That such interferences are antithetical to democratic values, human liberty and rights does not occur to such poisoned minds. There are several intelligence agencies in the country to watch over criminal activities including cyber crimes often committed by hackers and militants. To fight cyber crimes, there is a need for developing and updating online securities.

However, at no point does this allow breaching privacy of citizens. There is always the risk of abusing excessive authority delegated to any agency in matters of prying on civilians' privacy. If this is carried forward to matters involving the country's financial matters, it can spell disaster for the economy. This is further evidenced by the fact that the surveillance by the NTMC could not play any role in containing the illegal loan-taking by directors of banks through mutual arrangement---directors of one bank taking loans from another and vice versa. Had it been established in the interest of the nation, it could monitor the big sharks and help stop money laundering. Its super boss role was employed only to promote the interests of the ruling clique.

Therefore, let the NTMC be disbanded as early as possible. In the same way, the Financial Institutions Division should be dispensed with because it has done enough harm by curtailing the independence of the Bangladesh Bank. In crony capitalism such administrative set-ups are implanted to implement anti-people financial programmes. It is time the remnants of kleptocracy were done away with because these are contradictory to building a liberal, equalitarian and inclusive society. If there are big brotherly bodies to watch over individuals, that society stands no chance of accomplishing great things. The student revolution has brought before the nation an opportunity to break free from all such constraints and pursue a dream destiny.