New digital law fuels civil liberty concern
New digital regulations in Bangladesh could pave the way for a governance model centred on surveillance, warned Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh, on Tuesday.
He made the remarks at the DRAPAC Bangladesh National Convening 2026, held at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Exhibition Center, where policymakers, civil society representatives and industry leaders convened to discuss the future of digital governance.
Iftekharuzzaman said past legal frameworks illustrate how digital laws can be used to suppress dissent. Referring to the Digital Security Act (DSA), he noted that more than 4,500 individuals faced repression under the legislation between October 2018 and September 2024.
Those affected included politicians, journalists, media professionals and civil society actors, he said, arguing that such provisions effectively criminalise dissent and restrict freedom of expression.
He also expressed concern over clauses that grant authorities broad access to personal devices, warning that these undermine privacy rights.
Describing what he termed a climate of fear, he recalled instances where individuals avoided carrying mobile phones to meetings to reduce the risk of monitoring, adding that the mechanisms enabling such surveillance remain in place.
Despite the ongoing political transition, he voiced concern over recently introduced ordinances, including the Personal Data Protection Ordinance (PDPO), National Data Management Ordinance (NDMO), and amendments to telecommunications laws, saying they continue to centralise significant authority with the state.
“Each of these laws, without exception, includes provisions that concentrate excessive power in government hands, potentially enabling a surveillance-based governance system,” he said.
Also addressing the event, Mahmud Hossain, Commissioner of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), highlighted institutional fragmentation as a key challenge.
He noted that although the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the ICT Division were merged in 2014, they continue to operate separately, creating coordination difficulties.
The discussion comes at a critical juncture following the February 2026 national election, widely seen as an opportunity for policy reform.
Over the past year, the government has introduced several major laws shaping the digital landscape, including measures related to cyber safety, data protection and telecommunications.
However, civil society groups have criticised the process, arguing that consultations were limited and largely procedural.
Rights organisations have also cautioned that broadly defined legal provisions could enable expanded surveillance and censorship.
