Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker said the proposed Digital Security Act 2018 is a draconian law to suppress freedom of expression and will take the nation back to medieval period.
He condemned the government’s move and said the government has put the law in place of section 57 so that corruption cannot be reported and covered up.
Imran made these remarks during a protest rally organized by Ganajagaran Mancha in front of the national museum in Shahbagh, Dhaka on Friday afternoon.
The law is being enacted so that no one can expose the government’s corruption as there would be no freedom of mass media, Imran added.
He further said that citizen journalism, which is one of the greatest weapons to bring to light many untold stories by mainstream media, would be dealt the worst blow under the new law.
Demanding immediate cancelation of the proposed law Imran also said they would launch tougher movement if the law is passed in the parliament.
Last Monday, the cabinet gave final approval to the draft Digital Security Act 2018.
The draft of the new law stipulates maximum 14 years of imprisonment and Tk 1 crore in fine for spreading propaganda against the country’s founding president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 1971 Liberation War through electronic media or any other digital device.
The maximum punishment was also proposed for cyber-terrorism tarnishing the country’s integrity and sovereignty.
Also Read: Digital Security Act draft approved, Section 57 repealed
Thursday, April 25, 2024
