Speakers at a roundtable in the city on Thursday urged to introduce a safety clause for journalists in Digital Security Act to safeguard freedom of press in Bangladesh.
They were speaking at the roundtable at National Press Club on ‘Mass Media in Bangladesh and Digital Security Act: Threats and Way to Overcome It’. Dhaka University Mass Communication and Journalism Alumni Association (DUMCJAA) organized the event marking the World Press Freedom Day.
They said the offences stated in the act are necessary to secure digital sphere but in the case of investigative journalism the Section 32 can be an obstacle as it included clause – ‘entering any government, semi-government and autonomous bodies office illegally and recoding any information in electronic device’ as crime.
In this case the speakers proposed to introduce a safety clause for journalists which can safeguard their right.
Referring to Section 32 of the law, they said, this section has great chance to be misused as well as some other sections such as 17,19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 and 34 are non-bailable. The section 36 permits to arrest offenders without any court warrant, they said.
Speaking as chief guest Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the act was drafted to make the digital sector secured but it have some sections which, in long run, can affect journalists’ freedom.
He assured of recommending amendments to the sections and making the law a supportive one for the journalists.
Special guest Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique, a former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, put importance to abolish the sections and terminologies stated in the act which could potentially be misused and hamper freedom of expression.
Dr. Sheikh Abdus Salam, a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University, presented the keynote with National Press Club General Secretary and DUMCJAA Senior Vice-President, Farida Yasmin, in the chair.
