BNP alleges Digital Security Act largely misused, demands repeal
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday alleged that the Digital Security Act was being misused during the coronavirus outbreak and demanded immediate repeal of the act.
At an online press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also alleged that the government was misusing the law only to protect itself from public wrath.
Condemning the arrest and harassment of people misusing the law during the world pandemic, Fakhrul termed the act anti-people and said that the people arrested under the act were prisoners of conscience.
The BNP secretary general also demanded an end to the arrest of people under the act, release of people arrested on minor charges on with undertaking to surrender to the court after reopening and release of aged, female and long serving prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak.
He said that dozens of people, including journalists, cartoonist, writers and businessmen, were arrested for writing in social media on government’s failure and mismanagement in tackling coronavirus situation.
Although there is a law in force to deal with defamation, the government is misusing the Digital Security Act to oppress and harass people.
‘The news and photo of a journalist [Shafiqul Islam Kajal] with his hands in handcuffs bound in the back on the Press Freedom Day is a classic example of the government’s misusing the Digital Security Act against journalists and common people,’ Fakhrul said.
He also demanded release of all arrested in political cases, including BNP leaders Abdus Salam Pintu and Lutfuzzaman Babar, Chhatra Dal leader Ishak Sarkar and Sherpur district BNP leader Hazrat Ali.
Fakhrul also urged the government to test all prison officials and guards for coronavirus and provide them with proper treatment.
He said that the government was issuing repeated notices to suppress people so that they could not express their pains on social media and turned the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission into policing institute.
He said that the government was trying to suppress the truth.
BNP information and research affairs secretary Riyaz Uddin Nasu and party chairperson’s press wing members Shayrul Kabir Khan and Shamsuddin Dider were present.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
