Staff Reporter :
The Advisory Council of the interim government has approved the long-anticipated Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, marking a significant overhaul of the country’s digital legal framework.
The new ordinance repeals several contentious provisions of the Cyber Security Act 2023 and introduces updated safeguards for digital rights and cybercrime prevention.
The ordinance was adopted at a council meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, and will come into immediate effect following vetting by the Law Ministry and its official publication in the government gazette later this week, confirmed Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul during a press briefing on Tuesday at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
“This ordinance is designed to provide stronger cybersecurity protections while removing outdated and misused provisions from the previous law,” said Dr Nazrul.
He noted that nine controversial sections of the 2023 Act have been repealed, resulting in the automatic dismissal of approximately 95 per cent of ongoing cases, many of which were widely criticised as tools for harassment and suppression.
Significantly, the ordinance recognises internet access as a civic right-a first in Bangladesh’s legal history.
It also introduces more targeted legal provisions addressing online gambling, cyber harassment of women and children, and the use of artificial intelligence in criminal activities-making Bangladesh the first South Asian nation to legislate on AI-related cybercrime.
The ordinance further ensures that speech- and opinion-based offences are now bailable, and it reduces the maximum penalty for cyber offences to two years’ imprisonment. Conversely, penalties for filing false or malicious cyber cases have been increased, aiming to curb abuse of legal processes.
In a landmark move, the ordinance omits previously included offences related to the Liberation War, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the national anthem, and the national flag, which Dr Nazrul said were frequently exploited for political or personal gain.
“By removing these provisions, we are safeguarding digital freedoms from repression, while reinforcing accountability where it is genuinely needed-particularly in protecting vulnerable groups online,” Dr Nazrul stated.
Also present at the press briefing were Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.
In addition to the Cyber Security Ordinance, the Advisory Council approved two other legal measures: the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 and an ordinance concerning the demarcation of electoral areas. These steps signal a broader legislative reform agenda being undertaken by the interim administration.
