Info Minister plans legal reforms for digital era

Laws, rules and policies under his ministry will be updated to address the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid technological advances and the expanding digital landscape, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said on Sunday.

He said new legislation would be introduced where necessary to ensure the legal framework remains relevant.

The minister made the remarks while chairing a meeting on reviewing existing laws and drafting new legislation at the ministry’s conference room.

He instructed officials to examine legal frameworks in other countries and prepare practical, up-to-date recommendations tailored to Bangladesh’s needs.

Swapon also noted that digital technology has become an integral part of people’s daily lives, influencing communication, thinking and social interactions.

“While technology has brought immense benefits to people, it has also created new types of risks and challenges. Identifying these challenges and bringing them under an effective legal framework are now the need of the time,” he said.

Swapon said the ministry had already begun reviewing all existing laws, rules, regulations and policies under its jurisdiction.

He said the officials concerned would submit recommendations promptly after examining which laws require modernization, where new legislation is needed and in which areas legal gaps exist.

The minister said the scope of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had once been largely confined to the print and broadcast media.

However, he said, the rapid expansion of digital platforms and the broader digital ecosystem has given rise to numerous new media, many of which remain outside the scope of existing legislation.

“It is, therefore, essential to modernize the country’s legal framework in line with the changed realities,” he added.

The minister said the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States have already enacted various laws to regulate digital platforms and address emerging technology-driven challenges.

He said the officials concerned had been assigned to study and review the modern legal frameworks and experiences of those countries to help develop an effective legal structure compatible with Bangladesh’s own realities.

Swapon also said bringing cyberspace, digital transmission and various technology-based services under an orderly regulatory framework would require coordinated efforts involving both government and private stakeholders.

In this regard, he stressed the need to seek opinions from the relevant agencies, technology experts and telecommunications and infrastructure-related institutions.

The minister also instructed the officials concerned to identify emerging challenges promptly, determine the relevant stakeholders, define areas of responsibility and seek expert advice where necessary.

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farzana, Additional Secretary Shah Alam, members of the ministry’s legal panel and senior officials attended the meeting.