DSA will be amended if necessary: Law Minister

Staff Reporter :
Initiatives will be taken to change some rules in the Digital Security Act (DSA) if needed, but there is a need for a digital security law in the country.
“We have received some complaints of harassment misusing the Digital Security Act. Initiatives will be taken to amend or changes some rules of law if necessary. But digital security laws are needed as we have discussed regarding the law with civil society members on March 14,” Law Minister Anisul Haque told reporters after attending a seminar organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in the city on Sunday.
Regarding the case against the Editor and the Reporter of Prothom Alo, the Law Minister said
that the government has not filed case against any media or journalist in the country.
“A case has been filed against injustice for committing crime. Digital security laws are in all countries around the world. But there may be no directly mention it as digital security laws, but all countries have made this law to reduce digital crime,” the Law Minister said.
In order to ensure the law’s best practices since this law has been misused and abused to some extent, Anisul Huq said adding “I had a meeting with the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) office in Geneva through the UN residential coordinator in December 2019 in order to know how to ensure the best practice of the Digital Security Act in our country. After that, a committee has been formed comprising representatives from the ministries of law”.
An initiative has been taken to ensure that journalists will not be harassed unnecessarily, the Law Minister said.
“A discussion has also been held with civil society members and the matter was scheduled to be heard again on March 30, but it was postponed. We have a plan to arrange another meeting with them within next two weeks. The civil society members have also talked about a law on Digital Security Act, Data Protection Act and NGO Voluntary, which will also be discussed next meeting,” Anisul Haque said.
However, the government will take necessary measures to bring change in the act (DSA) after receiving recommendations from the committee.