NN Online:
The draft of Cyber Security Ordinance 2024 no longer includes the controversial provision allowing police to search digital devices without a warrant.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury made the announcement during a press conference on Wednesday.
He said law enforcement agencies will now only be allowed to search, seize, or arrest in cases of cyber attacks on critical information infrastructure (CII).
“Under section 36 of the draft Cyber Security Ordinance 2024, any digital device seized for cyber crime investigations must be presented in court within 24 hours, with police required to provide written justifications for the seizure.”
Additionally, the revised draft excludes the cyberbullying clause while adding provisions to tackle cyber crimes against women and children. It also classifies the falsification of national identity cards as a cyber crime and makes publishing ethnic and religious hate speech a punishable offense.
ICT Division secretary said the draft, developed through consultations with stakeholders, could become an ordinance within six weeks.
Several controversial clauses have also been removed, including those related to modifying computer source code, hate speech against the Liberation War, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the national anthem, or the national flag, impersonation, unauthorised data use, and defamation.
