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Right activists along with several victims of the now obsolete Digital Security Act and the current Cyber Security Act condemned the draft Cyber Protection Ordinance 2024, labelling it ‘repressive’ or similar to its predecessors. 

The criticism was voiced at a discussion on Saturday jointly organised by the Voice for Reform and DSA Victims Network at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital. 

Eminent photographer Shahidul Alam at the discussion observed that the draft Cyber Protection Ordinance lacked the lens of human rights.

He warned that the ordinance, if enacted, would further empower the law enforcement agencies, some of which were reportedly involved in political assassinations and even killing of the protesters against the fascist Hasina-led regime.

‘If people are still viewed through the lens of fascism and the country is governed by laws created under such perspectives, then we have not truly achieved freedom,’ Shahidul said, requesting the interim government to change the perspective.

Shahidul was detained on August 5, 2018 on allegations of making ‘provocative false statements’ during the student-led road safety movement. He was released from jail after 107 days when the High Court suspended the investigation into a case filed against him under the Information and Communication Technology Act, 2006, which was later replaced by the Digital Security Act, 2018.

Another victim of the Digital Security Act Didarul Islam Bhuiyan warned the interim government that protesters against the immediate past fascist regime would resist enacting the cyber protection ordinance at any cost.

Didarul, a member of civic body Rashtrachinta, was arbitrarily detained by the Rapid Action Battalion on May 6, 2020. He, along with writer Mushtaq Ahmed, Minhaz Mannan, and cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishor, was charged under the Digital Security Act. Mushtaq Ahmed died in custody on February 25, 2021.

Al Amin Hossian and Ishrat, two other victims of the 2018 act, also shared their views.

Researcher Rezaur Rahman Lenin complained that drafting of the ordinance ignored opinions from key stakeholders, including the victims of the two acts, blaming the draft of the ordinance for its failure to align with international standards.  

Trishia Nashtaran, president of right-based organisation Ognie Foundation Bangladesh, said that none of the two acts was successful in preventing online crimes against women. She called for an end to the anti-women narratives in every sphere of society, instead of just enacting laws.

Columnist Kamal Ahmed, also chief of Mass Media Reform Commission, said that the draft ordinance did not define whom it would protect. He said, ‘We need protection of human rights. If there is a vague definition of protection, it would be used for abuse as its predecessors.’

Online entrepreneur Fahim Mashroor anchored the discussion, also addressed, among others, by senior journalist Selim Samad, Khairuzzaman Kamal, politician Hashib Uddin Hossain, researcher Promiti Prova Chowdhury.