Staff Reporter :
Government plans to amend Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act soon. After amendment, the law will be titled Digital Security Act since the Article 57 of the law has created lots of controversies in the civil society.
“Answer to every question about the ICT Act will be found in the amended law,” Law Minister Anisul Haque said it on Saturday. He said it while addressing a discussion meeting marking the Human Rights Day in CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.
The Minister said that the Parliament passed the ICT law in 2006 only for legalizing the electronic signature. The Parliament brought some amendments in 2013 and incorporated Article 57 into it, he added. “Many of the civil society members raised question about the law. They said that the law suppressed freedom of speech, limiting different faculties of life. In this circumstances, the government decided to make a new law on digital security, giving priority to the Article 57,” the minister said.
He ensured also that the government was taking cautionary steps to avoid controversies.
Barrister Amir-ul-Islam presented the key note papers. Kazi Riazul Haque, the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) presided over the programme. Md. Nazrul Islam, the member of NHRC, among others, was present.
