Speakers at a high-level roundtable stressed that Bangladesh's cyber security legislation must strike a careful balance between tackling digital threats and safeguarding fundamental rights, particularly freedom of expression.
The discussion, held at Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan, on Wednesday brought together representatives from the government, international organisations, and civil society to deliberate on cyber security laws, platform governance, and digital rights.
Participants underscored that alongside legal reforms, greater public awareness and education are essential, and that any regulatory framework should be subject to independent oversight and judicial scrutiny.
Nagorik Coalition, Drik and UNESCO Dhaka office organised the event jointly.
Delivering the keynote, international expert Joan Barata cautioned against conflating cybercrime with the regulation of speech.
He noted that while laws addressing fraud, phishing, and data theft are necessary, governments should not use cybercrime legislation to create new categories of illegal speech.
He warned that vague provisions-such as criminalising the spread of "rumours"-could enable excessive control over online expression, potentially undermining protections available offline.
He also advocated for independent regulatory bodies, free from government appointment, drawing on international standards such as the GDPR.
Barata further distinguished between illegal and harmful content, noting that disinformation is not typically illegal in liberal democracies. Instead, he said, digital platforms should exercise a "duty of care" to manage harmful contents transparently, without direct state intervention in content removal.
He also argued that data protection violations should be addressed through civil, rather than criminal, penalties to support a data-driven economy.
Adviser to the Prime Minister Rehan Asif Asad highlighted technical vulnerabilities and emerging challenges in Bangladesh's digital ecosystem.
He revealed that an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of online social traffic may be generated by bots rather than genuine users, stressing the need for collaboration between regulators and platforms to identify and address such activity.
He also noted that the government is reviewing existing ordinances and has already shifted towards civil liability for certain data protection offences. Emphasising the importance of implementation, he pointed to widespread security negligence, including the continued use of weak passwords, and called for greater public awareness.
Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Md. Emdad ul Bari, highlighted the growing risks posed by emerging technologies such as deepfakes, noting their visibility ahead of the recent elections.
However, he expressed cautious optimism, observing that public awareness is increasing and that citizens are becoming more resilient to digital manipulation.
Susan Vize of UNESCO emphasised the importance of inclusive policymaking, noting that effective governance requires input from civil society, media, experts, and academics.
She stressed that any legislation must incorporate clear protocols and due process to ensure transparency and fairness.
The session concluded with participants reaffirming the need for continued dialogue among stakeholders to develop a balanced and rights-respecting digital governance framework for Bangladesh.
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