The customer’s personal phone conversations and information nowadays are being published everywhere through television, media or social media. If this trend continues, people will lose even the slightest assurance and security towards the telecom industry. As a result, customers may be reluctant to receive this service.
In a statement sent to the media on April 29, the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Subscribers Association (BMPSA) expressed such fears.
In a statement, Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the organization, said: “…But the state and the concerned authorities have failed to provide this security to the customer. It is often seen that personal telephone conversations are broadcast and published for the sake of personal interests and even for the sake of political interests and to tarnish the reputation and dignity of individuals. Which is extremely dangerous. If this trend continues, people will lose the slightest assurance and security towards this industry. As a result, customers may turn away from this service. The government and the concerned authorities should respect the constitution and the law and take legal action against individuals and organizations who publish phone calls. At the same time to ensure the safety of the customers.
In a statement, the organization further said that consumers are being deprived of the protection of the Constitution and the law due to disclosing of their personal phone conversation.
In this regard, Mohiuddin Ahmed said, “Section 71 of the Telecommunications Regulation Act 2001 provides jail for not more than 2 years for eavesdropping on telephone or taka 5 crores will be fined or both. Provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any officer of the intelligence agency, national security agency, investigative agency or law enforcement agency empowered by the Government under section 96 (a).
In the statement, the organization referred to various articles of the constitution and said that Article 43 (b) of the constitution states that there shall be a right to privacy in correspondence and other means of communication. Section 28 of the Digital Security Act makes it a crime to disclose personal information without permission. Moreover, according to international human rights (Article 12), privacy has been defined as a civil and political right in accordance with the International Charter (Article 17), the United Nations Convention (Article 14) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 17).
