Cabinet to discuss objections

Law Minister Anisul Huq said the cabinet will discuss the Editors' Council's complaints regarding nine sections of the Digital Security Act, reports bdnews24.com.

The government will meet the Editors' Council again after the discussion, he said.

The decision was made after the government sat for a three-hour meeting with the media representatives on Sunday.

The Editors' Council, along with several media organisations, objected to numerous sections of the new law that curb the freedom of expression and threaten independent journalism.

Ignoring their protests, parliament passed the bill on September 19.

The council had called a protest programme for September 29 stating that the bill brings 'serious threats to the freedom of expression and media operations'.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Telecommunication and IT Minister Mustafa Jabbar were present at the meeting on Sunday.

"We reached an agreement that there was need for a law on the issue," the law minister said. "But there are some questions that the law restricts the freedom of the press and freedom of expression."

The discussion centred on sections 8, 21, 28, 29, 31, 32, 43 and 53 of the law, he said.

The law minister said the number of items on the agenda meant that the matter would not be brought up at the October 03 cabinet meeting, but promised to present the objections of the Editors' Council at the next meeting.