Cyber Security Law Is for Public Safety

Bangladesh’s government views cyber security primarily as a mechanism to protect citizens and journalists in the digital environment, rather than as a tool for controlling the media, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury has said. He stressed that the proposed cyber security law is not intended to stop journalists from writing or restrict freedom of expression.

The state minister made the remarks at a press briefing after a meeting with the executive committee of the Dhaka Union of Journalists at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday, October 4.

Yaser Khan Chowdhury said the government would not interfere with media freedom or editorial operations. He said the government does not interfere in how the media operates and would not do so in the future.

“The government believes in media freedom. There is no question of controlling the media,” he said.

He also said, “The government is not making the Cyber Security Act to stop journalists from writing or to make them write in favour of the government.”

Court approval for action against journalists
The state minister said the government is taking a flexible approach to the proposal that journalists should not be detained or brought under the law without prior court approval.

Journalist representatives have proposed that if a newspaper, television channel or registered online news outlet inadvertently publishes material that violates the Cyber Security Act, court approval should be obtained before the journalist or media organisation is subjected to legal action.

“We are considering this,” Yaser Khan Chowdhury said, adding that the government is examining how such a provision could be incorporated into the law and what its wording should be.

The issue is part of a wider review of the draft Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026. At a stakeholder consultation on September 28, the government agreed to form a review committee involving journalists, editors and cyber experts to examine safeguards for the media and journalists.

Fake accounts and online harassment
The state minister also highlighted the growing problem of fake social media accounts being used to harass and intimidate people. Such harassment, he said, can push some victims to an extremely vulnerable mental state, including suicidal tendencies.

He added that fake information and rumours are also being circulated through accounts using journalists’ names. Protecting journalists from such digital threats is therefore as important as protecting ordinary citizens, he said.

“The government is also working for the protection of journalists,” Yaser Khan Chowdhury said, stressing that journalists must be able to perform their professional duties in a safe environment.

Wage Board implementation
Implementation of the Wage Board also came up during the meeting.

The state minister said a prolonged deadlock has surrounded the Wage Board, while the Ninth Wage Board has not been fully implemented. Journalist leaders have demanded that the Ninth Wage Board be fully implemented before moving to the Tenth Wage Board.

He said the government is discussing the matter with different ministries and applying necessary pressure to accelerate implementation. If necessary, the issue will also be raised in the Cabinet.

At the same time, he said media owners must also take responsibility. Government decisions or announcements will not benefit journalists unless media owners implement them, he noted.

Defining who qualifies as a journalist
The meeting also discussed the need for a clear professional definition of a journalist.

Yaser Khan Chowdhury said a clear definition or policy is needed to determine who should be recognised as a journalist. He pointed to the growing practice of using online platforms and social media to falsely identify individuals as journalists.

Such practices, he said, threaten genuine journalists as well as the public and democratic institutions.

He called on journalist organisations to jointly submit proposals on the issue. The need for clearer definitions of journalists and media organisations has also emerged in recent government consultations on media rights and the Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026.

At the end of the meeting, the state minister asked journalist leaders to submit their demands and proposals in writing. He said receiving formal proposals would make it easier for the government to assess the demands, take follow-up measures and work toward implementation.
//DBTech/JNO/SMP/PCB//