Govt using ‘internet shutdown’ as weapon to suppress opposition: BNP
Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that the government has snatched the rights of people through digital shutdown.
“The government was using ‘internet shutdown’ as a weapon to suppress the movement of the opposition,” he said this at a press conference arranged by the party’s media cell at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital.
Mirza Fakhrul said the government is using digitalization system including internet shutdown as a tool to suppress the opposition.
He said the government has begun a new conspiracy fearing mass uprising by taking away people’s rights through digital shutdown.
“They are shutting down internet services on the day of the rally to disrupt the programme. The government is using Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) as a new modern tool to suppress people. This is clearly a violation of individual’s rights,” said Fakhrul.
The BNP Secretary General said, “Not only internet service is being closed but the government had continued various other forms of digital torture, including monitoring the smartphones of the opposition leaders, violating their personal privacy, and checking their cell phones.”
“We strongly protested the abuse of digital technology.”
He said shutdown of internet services is a gross violation of civil rights.
Mirza Fakhrul expressed fear of shrinking digital rights of people in future of the politics.
The government is buying surveillance technology from abroad and spying on people and collecting their information, he added.
Mirza Fakhrul said, “BNP’s movement is heading towards the final stage. The movement is moving forward by defeating all the tortures of this regime.”
Among others, BNP media cell convener Zahir Uddin Swapan, Member Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Members Shammi Akhter and Rumeen Farhana were present at that time.
Freedom Fighters hunger strike: More than 200 Freedom Fighters will go for a hunger strike to press home one-point demand on Monday in front of the BNP central office at Nayapaltan in the capital. Muktijodha Dal Office Secretary Rafiqul Islam informed it to the media.
He said, BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi will inaugurate the programme at 10 am.
BNP Secrtary General Mirza Fakhurl Islam Alamgir will break the hunger strike of the freedom fighters at 5pm. The freedom fighters also included BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s unconditional release among their demands.
