The Executive Director of TIB Dr. Iftekharuzzaman demanded the closure of the controversial organization National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) immediately. Barrister Sara Hussain also suggested forming a Media Commission and July Coup Commission as soon as possible. Fahim Mashroor, the founder of BdJobs, stressed the importance of data protection as well as ensuring its ownership and the use of data to empower citizens.

The speakers suggested these points at a discussion meeting held at the Daily Star Building in Kawran Bazar, a joint initiative of The Daily Star and Tech Global Institute on Sunday afternoon. In the meeting titled ‘A New Digital Vision for a New Bangladesh’. Iftekharuzzaman said, ‘In the past, freedom of speech was curtailed and the country was turned into a surveillance-based society. And NTMC was the tool behind it. They violated the privacy rights of individuals without regard to the law. So, they should be declared closed immediately.

On the other hand, Fahim Mashroor said that 15 SIMs can be issued against one NID in the country. Besides, many fake MFS accounts are also being created with fake SIMs. As a result, digital crime cannot be detected and prevented.

Photographer Dr. Shahidul Alam and Tanzim Ferdous who works in Daily Star spoke at the roundtable discussion. The event was conducted by Dr. Sabhanaz Rashid Dia, head of Tech Global Institute.