Digital Security Bill in JS

The Digital Security Bill, 2018, aiming to deal with cybercrimes, including hurting the religious sentiment, propaganda against the Liberation War and the Father of Nation, and illegal activities in e-transactions and spreading defamatory data, was placed in the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday, reports UNB.

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar placed the Bill in the House and it was sent to the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny. The Committee was asked to submit its report within four weeks.

Many crimes mentioned in the proposed law have been made cognizable and non-bailable offences.

In the proposed bill, digital, database and critical information infrastructure have been defined.

As per the bill, digital forensic labs, and a digital security agency under the Prime Minister's Office will be set up while a national computer emergency response team and an 11-member digital security council, headed by the Prime Minister, will be constituted.

According to the proposed law, anyone spreading negative propaganda against the Liberation War or Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, using digital devices, will risk being sentenced. The punishment for spreading such propaganda is maximum 14 years' jail, Tk 10 million fine or both.