Speakers including lawyers, politicians, cyber security experts and activists on Saturday slammed the government鈥檚 move to allow the private sector to handle data of mobile SIM cards having personal data of people, saying that the move went against the country鈥檚 constitution.
At a press conference at a city hotel organised by Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association, they said that the constitution directed the authorities concerned to ensure citizens鈥� personal data and the government should protect citizens鈥� personal data and ensure their security as it had taken oath to uphold the constitution.
While reading out a written statement, Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association president Mohiuddin Ahmed said that mobile operators were now charging Tk 5 for verifying data of active SIM cards, also known as subscriber identity module cards, through the Election Commission.
鈥楾he private company is scheduled to charge Tk 10 as there is about 19 crore 26 lakhs active SIM cards in the country. A vested quarter is trying to give more profits to a private company,鈥� he said, urging the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to backtrack from its decision.
Referring to the constitution鈥檚 article 43 (b), Mohiuddin said that the government must ensure protecting data of citizens and ensuring security for them as per the government鈥檚 oath to uphold the country鈥檚 constitution.
鈥榃e demand either the home ministry or the Election Commission will manage people鈥檚 personal data鈥�.The people鈥檚 personal data must not go to the private organisation as it will involve an element of risk to hand over data to other people,鈥� said Mohiuddin.
Backdoor Private Limited managing director and cyber security expert Tanvir Hassan Zoha said that if the government鈥檚 move came into effect, Bangladesh would be the first country in the South Asia that was going to allow private sectors to manage citizens鈥� personal data.
鈥榃e have seen that fake national identity cards were used allegedly by KNF [the national minority armed group Kuki-Chin National Front] in using mobile SIM cards and taking mobile financial services. We have to halt the move for ensuring people鈥檚 security,鈥� he added.
He said that the move would lead to inspire hackers to steal people鈥檚 private information.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince questioned why the government was going to hand over citizens鈥� personal information to private sector as it must be maintained by the government.
鈥楾he government could not provide people鈥檚 personal data to anyone due to constitutional obligation,鈥� he added.
鈥業f the government does anything that threatens people鈥檚 secrecy, it will go against the constitution,鈥� he said referring to the article 43 (b).
BTRC Systems and Services Division director general Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-Ur-Rahman declined making any comment over phone.
BRTC chairman Md Mohiuddin Ahmed could not be reached for his comment over the phone despite several attempts.聽
On March 20, 2024, the High Court issued a rule saying why the BTRC鈥檚 directives for mobile companies to create a separate database having users鈥� personal information in their national identity cards would not be cancelled.
The HC also questioned why the citizens鈥� personal information would not be preserved under the home ministry and the Election Commission.
Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah of HC bench issued the rule following a writ petition of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
Cabinet secretary, Prime Minister鈥檚 Office principal secretary, home secretary, Posts and Telecommunications Division secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division secretary, chief election commissioner, director general of national identity cards, BTRC chairman, and Bangladesh Mobile Operators Association president were made respondents in the rule and asked to reply in weeks.
At the event, Supreme Court lawyer Israt Jahan said that it also went against the International Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the Right to Information Act 2009.
鈥楾he government itself is not following rules of the protection of secrecy of citizens鈥� private data,鈥� he said.
