Law Minister Anisul Huq today said that steps have been taken to prevent the misuse of the Digital Security Act.
"I agree that there has been misuse and misconduct since the Digital Security Act was enacted, and we have taken steps to prevent it," the minister said at the annual general meeting of the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) at Dhaka Reporters Unity this afternoon.
"Many claim that there is no freedom of speech or press in Bangladesh. Based on what I've seen on BBC and other international media, I don't believe there are as many talk shows in other countries as there are in our country. More importantly, one person from the government and one from the opposition discuss the issues. It's never been one-sided here," he said.
"Many people now believe that there is a need for Digital Security Act in Bangladesh. I have spoken to the Home Minister and the ICT Act of 2006 was amended in 2012. Subsequently, a cell was formed. The cases filed under this law will be sent to that law enforcement cell first. They'll check to see if the accusation is true. I've also discussed with the Home Minister on the possibility of not arresting any journalist while investigation is ongoing. Now you can see that if a journalist is charged under the Digital Security Act, he/she is not immediately arrested," the minister said.
According to Anisul Huq, the law was never intended to restrict freedom of speech or the press.
"The Right to Information Act has been passed. The Digital Security Act does not appear to be harmful to the media. To protect freedom of speech and the press, the government will extend all possible cooperation. You will not be harmed in any way," he told journalists.
