No Misuse of Cyber Protection Act Against Journalists: Home Minister

Assuring that the upcoming 'Cyber Protection (Amendment) Act, 2026' will not be transformed into an oppressive tool, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed emphasized that the government is fully committed to preventing any misuse of the law against journalists and news media. He revealed that a specific proposal requiring prior court authorization before taking legal action or making arrests against journalists has been incorporated for evaluation.

The Home Minister made these observations during a press briefing following a consultation meeting on reviewing the draft of the 'Cyber Protection (Amendment) Act, 2026' held at the conference room (Room 1201, Building 6) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday, September 28.

Chaired by Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Fakir Mahboob Anam, the meeting was attended by State Minister for Information Yaser Khan Chowdhury, Information Secretary Mahbuba Farjana, ICT Secretary Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmad, and PIB Director General Faruq Wasif among other high officials. Prominent media editors including The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, Ekushey Television Chairman and CEO Abdus Salam, Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, and Pratidiner Bangladesh Editor Maruf Kamal Khan addressed the session.

Speaking at the briefing, the Home Minister stated, "We did not intend to target the media through this law, nor do we want any journalist to fall victim to it. To ensure newspapers, electronic media, and online media journalists are not unfairly harmed, a proposal requiring prior court approval before taking action or making arrests has been placed. This will be included in the formal recommendations expected over the next 15 days." Furthermore, a specific time limit for disposing of appeals has been proposed to prevent individuals from being stranded indefinitely.

Highlighting the context of the consultation, the Minister noted that the government warmly accepted a proposal from Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam to allow more time for rigorous discussion between media representatives and cyber experts to include protective saving clauses. To facilitate coordination, the Principal Information Officer (PIO) has been designated as the focal point. The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications & IT alongside the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will jointly coordinate the process involving representatives from the Editors' Council, Electronic Media Association, and an expert cyber panel formed by the IT Ministry.

Elaborating on the legislative timeline, the Minister mentioned that written recommendations will be compiled within 7 to 15 days. After 15 days, official committee members and relevant ministry officials will convene to finalize decisions. The updated draft will then be republished on the website for public feedback before being sent to the Cabinet. Following inter-ministerial scrutiny, the bill will go to the Cabinet, and upon approval, it will be placed before the National Parliament. He reassured that the bill will not be rushed in parliament and will undergo open parliamentary debates as well as external consultations from various seminars and symposiums.

Concluding the address, the Home Minister reiterated that the primary objective of the proposed law is to establish a balanced framework that protects society, maintains social and religious harmony, preserves family bonds, and safeguards youth from cyber crimes while adhering strictly to international standards.

//DBTech/BTN/NFC/MSI//