Digital Security Act, 2018
The Digital Security Act, 2018, was a digital security law in Bangladesh. The Act was passed with the objective of preventing the spread of racism, sectarianism, extremism, terrorist propaganda, and incitement of hatred against religious or ethnic minorities through social, print, or electronic media. Any content over the Internet or any other media that was deemed pornographic or otherwise inappropriate by the government could be punished by fines or prison terms of various lengths.
The Diplomat expressed feared that the law could be used to suppress dissenters against the government, due to some of its provisions that are vague and ambiguous, open to interpretation or prone to abuse. This law has been used to sue and arrest journalists and activists. It has been described as a "Draconian" law.
The Digital Security Act was repealed in 2023 with the Cyber Security Act, 2023.
History
Digital Security Act was adopted in October 2018. The Act was passed by the Parliament of Bangladesh in September 2018. The act allows police officers to detain people without a warrant. The act was opposed by members of the media, the opposition Jatiya Party, and human rights organizations. The act emulated Section 57 of Information and Communication Technology Act, which was passed in 2006, as the model. The act was protested by the Editors' Council. The Daily Star has been critical of the application of the act, describing it as a gag on the free press.Cases
The Bangladesh police headquarters has reported that in the first five months of 2020, 403 cases were filed and 353 arrests were made under the Act.Prominent cases
- On 14 April 2020, Journalist Golam Sarwar Pintu, of Dainik Bangladesher Alo, was arrested under Digital Security Act.
- On 17 April 2020, Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor of Bdnews24.com, and Mohiuddin Sarker, editor of Jagonews24.com, for publishing a report on the looting of relief materials in Thakurgaon District. The case was filled by Swechasebak League, the volunteer wing of Bangladesh Awami League, leader Mominul Islam Bhasani.
- On 29 April 2020, three journalists were sued in Narsingdi District under the act after publishing news report on an auto rickshaw driver who died after a confrontation with members of Bangladesh Police. The journalists worked for the local newspapers, Dainik Grameen Darpan and Narsingdi Pratidin. The case was filled by officer-in-charge of Ghorashal Police Station, Johirul Alam.
- On 6 May 2020, 11 people were sued by the government of Bangladesh by Assistant Director, Abu Bakar Siddique, of unit 3 of Rapid Action Battalion. Among them one cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, and one writer, the older brother of Xulhaz Mannan, Minhaj Mannan Emon, Asif Mohiuddin, Tasneem Khalil and Zulkarnain Saer Khan. Mushtaq Ahmed, one of the 11 accused, died in prison on 25 February 2021. He had been in detention since his arrest in May 2020.
- On 6 May 2020, Sub-inspector Motaleb of Rupganj police station in Narayanganj District filed a case against Momen Prodhan for sharing a picture mocking Soto Monir, Member of Parliament of Tangail-2 for harvesting unripe rice plants.
- On 8 May 2020, Journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, who had disappeared, was "found" and charged under this act by Bangladesh Police.
Reception
22nd Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Syed Mahmud Hossain is a strong supporter of the act. In a verdict made on March 6, 2021, Hossain cautioned an accused of violating the act that there would be no consideration of bail for people who would tarnish the image of Bangladesh in any manner.