Govt decides to repeal Cyber Security Act

The government has decided to repeal the controversial Cyber Security Act-2023 enacted by the ousted Awami League (AL) regime.

The council of advisers at its meeting today approved in principal the draft of the Cyber Security Act (Repeal) Ordinance – 2024.

The meeting was held at Chief Adviser’s Office in Dhaka’s Tejgaon with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

About the outcomes of the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the fascist Awami League government transformed the Digital Security Act into the Cyber Security Act last year but its objectives were the same.

“Its aim was to oppress the voices of people and dissident voices. And you know how many people were harassed using the Digital Security Act,” he told a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy here.

Mentioning that many people from minority communities were harassed using the act, Alam said the council of advisers at its meeting has decided to repeal the Cyber Security Act.

After the repeal of the Cyber Security Act, he said a new law will be formulated to ensure the safety of vulnerable groups including women and children, who use the cyber space, and to protect the financial institutions, including banks.

Alam said the council of advisers also decided to prepare documentation on the expenditure of ‘Mujib Year’.

He said a list will be prepared on how the ministries spent money and the sectors of expenditures marking the Mujib Year.

On the occasion, the press secretary said, the money was spent from not only public exchequer but many private companies were forced to spend money.

“Many were forced to set up Mujib Corners and many were compelled to build sculptures of Mujib. There was an excitement to spend money of people,” he said, adding that the documentation would be prepared to know how much money was wasted on Mujib Year.

The council of advisers discussed the draft of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Use (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 and decided to form a high-power committee, headed by Finance Adviser Saleh Uddin Ahmed, he said.

Citing estimates that about 35 percent people of the country smoke tobacco, the press secretary said smoking of tobacco causes harm to public health and at the same time, a big portion of revenue comes from tobacco sector.

Considering all aspects, the committee will consider the tobacco control law afresh, he said.

The advisers, Alam said, also decided to update the drugs list of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), a state-owned Pharmaceuticals Company in Bangladesh.

He said essential drugs is a very important issue all over the world and that is why they discussed how the list of essential drugs can be extended to give protection to the poor people who are being affected due to high price of medicines.

A taskforce will be formed soon in this regard and it will sit together with all stakeholders concerned, he added.

Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir were present at the press briefing. (BSS)