The Editors Council has expressed its deep concern and anguish over the proposed Digital Security Act containing the controversial provisions of the ICT Act and some new harsh clauses.
At a meeting at the Daily Star Centre on Tuesday, the editors of the national dailies called on the government to scrap all the controversial provisions, including Section 57, of the ICT Act, as well as section 32 and other controversial clauses of the proposed act, said a statement of the Editors Council.
The council thinks that the clauses regarding the digital spying mentioned in the Section 32 of the Digital Security Act is a blow to the fundamental spirit of democracy and the freedom of speech. At the same time, it will create a choking environment for the free press.
The proposed law defines storing and transferring confidential government data as well as aiding and abetting such efforts as espionage. It keeps provisions of up to 14 years in jail and fines up to Tk 2.5 million for such offences.
The statement said that the section 57 of the ICT Act contains various issues such as defamation, hurting religious sentiment, tarnishing image of the state, disrupting communal harmony and other incidents which lead to deterioration of law and order, but without any specific explanation. As this section was being misused frequently, the journalist community raised the demand for scrapping this law. But now these four matters have been split into four with separate provisions for punishment in the proposed Digital Security Act.
The Editors Council thinks that the stakeholders concerned should be involved in the process of formulating the new act.
The statement also said the law minister had assured that the sections 54, 55, 56, 57 and 66 of the ICT Act would stand void once the Digital Security Act comes into effect. But all matters of the Section 57 have been tactfully retained in the Sections 25, 28, 29 and 31 of the new act.
The council sees this proposed act as much harsher. It will squeeze the space for freedom of speech and free press. Under this circumstance, the council demands that the law be finalised in consultation with the stakeholders.
With Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar in the chair, the other participants at the meeting were Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, News Today Editor Reazuddin Ahmed, Financial Express Editor AHM Moazzem Hossain, Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamol Datta, Bangladesh Protidin Editor Naem Nizam, Naya Diganta Editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, Banik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Independent Editor M Shamsur Rahman, Inqilab Editor AMM Bahauddin, Azadi Editor M A Malek, Korotoa Editor Md Mozammel Haque, Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafor Sobhan, acting Editor of Jugantar Saiful Alam and Sangbad Editor Khandakar Muniruzzaman
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