Court Correspondent :
Transparency International Bangladesh, TIB, has raised alarm over certain provisions of the proposed Cyber Security Ordinance by the interim government that it says repeat the “repressive” elements of the Cyber Security and Digital Security Acts from the Awami League government’s tenure.
At a news conference on Tuesday, TIB voiced “deep concern” over the new law, stating that many of its provisions pose risks to citizens’ freedom of expression, dissent, press freedom and the right to organise.
TIB’s Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, “The Cyber Security Ordinance retains numerous provisions from the repressive Digital Security Act and Cyber Security Act, which will create an excessively restrictive and surveillance-based legal framework.”
“Upon reviewing the ordinance, we find it largely reflects the agenda and rhetoric of a fallen authoritarian government. Several provisions exhibit repetition of the previous DSA or CSA,” he added.
On Nov 7, the interim government made a policy decision to repeal the Cyber Security Act, which had gained infamy as a “black law”.
