Adviser Nahid Islam intends to investigate the digital crackdown by shutting down the internet
The people of Bangladesh expressed their anger with the incidents like blocking of internet and social handles and communication tools to suppress the movement run by the students based on quota reform movement. Despite all the obstacles created by the then government, the rise of sun of a new Bangladesh- Bangladesh 2.0 could not be stopped. Businessmen in the telecom and information technology sectors have also been affected for that internet shut down.
In such a situation, the sector concerned expressed a strong reaction for the speech made by the ISPAB president. The business people working in this sector found the Khawaja Tower fire and burning cables as a drama and pointed the ISPAB president as a companion to the internet blackout. They are now about to erupt in anger and demand for reformation of ISPAB. In the meantime, they have protested being gathered at the permanent of ISPAB at Banani.
In such a situation, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement Md. Nahid Islam got the responsibility of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology in the interim government.
His statement on this matter is clear. He said, information technology is an important issue for the state. In past movements, a digital crackdown was created by shutting down the internet. The right to use the Internet is now considered a human right internationally. From that place, those incidents need to be investigated. I will endeavor to review the criticisms you have mentioned about the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and take action as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, after the first meeting of the Advisory Council on Friday, in response to various questions from the journalists, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor on Forest and Environment and Chief Executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), highlighted the plan of the interim government to cancel the clauses in the laws related to information technology. He said, after ICT Act, Digital Act, you (journalists) are also victims in Cyber Security Act cases. Although there is no ICT and digital security law, many people are under trial and in jail under these laws. These will be included as harassment cases. At the same time, to the extent that changes in these laws will not hinder the freedom of expression or the expression of opposing views, it is being considered to be repealed.
