Editorial Desk :
A news report published in this national daily on Friday said that incidents of phone tapping, recording of the conversations and spreading them through the social media have been undermining people’s right to privacy which is a fundamental right of a citizen enshrined in the Constitution.
Despite the recurrence of such incidents of violation this right, no remedy is in view. The government is supposed to take action if the law is violated, but it has not taken any action against these illegal activities. Still no appropriate action has been taken against anyone for tapping telephone and doing audio-videos and leaking those to the social media or television channels.
In a recent judgment, the High Court Bench of Justice Md Shawkat Hossain, Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin expressed concern over the matter and observed that the practice of leaking audio-video recordings of conversations through the social media should be stopped. The court also observed, we must not forget that the citizens’ right to privacy in correspondence and other means of communication is guaranteed under article 43 of the Constitution which cannot be violated at the instance of any interested quarter.
A recent leak of phone conversations between two police officers was the talk of the town. These officers were suspended later. Besides, after the arrest of woman journalist Rozina Islam on May 17, one of her female colleagues spoke to her father on the phone over the issue. That conversation too was leaked and spread widely through social media. This is a punishable offence under the country’s telecommunication act.
We know the conditions in Bangladesh and do not want to waste time discussing rights. Rights are protected by the press and the judiciary. But in Bangladesh we love to call a democratic country but it is best not to talk about rights. Our journalists as a class are party activists of undemocratic parties. The same is the case with lawyers. They should be ashamed but they are not. So the nation has no hope for democracy to sustain without drastic check against the greedy ones.
But we do not believe phone tappings serve any security problem in Bangladesh. If the government has any threat, phone tapping is more useless. Such phone tapping may be used for blackmailing or extortion of money. Those who are at existential risk for the government they do not talk on telephone.
Communist tactics are unnecessary in our country. Our advice is live well and sleep well. Do not waste official time and try to do some good to the people if you can.
In communist countries the people must be kept silent and in fear. That is their business. We are a timid people so allow us the freedom to talk on phone if not publicly.
