TIB terms listing questionable

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has raised a question over recent announcement of 29 state agencies and institutions as critical information infrastructure (CII).
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the local chapter of the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) termed the latest CII listing of the entities as questionable and confusing.
TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman in the statement said the Digital Security Act has given the government the authority to announce any computer system, network and information infrastructure as CII but it is not clear on which ground the decision was taken.
Although the CII list of 29 agencies and institutions has been made in the name of national security, the ministry of defence, the ministry of home, armed forces, the parliament, judiciary, audit department, health sector, customs and the port authorities remain out of the list, he went on to say.
He said most banks excepting four state-owned are also not in the list. "There are more examples. Based on these, it can be said that the list is questionable and unwise."
He said there is no clear policy regarding national security here. Under such circumstances, the TIB thinks it is important to formulate such a policy first.
"Otherwise, misuse of the law will be continuing," he said.
Citing the section 16 (3) of the act, he feared that it would create obstacles to reporters or the common people in the way of collecting news or gathering information under the Rights to Information Act from the listed public entities as the whole institutions instead of their computer system are brought under the CII in accordance with the gazette notification.

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