Cyber crimes committed through fake Facebook IDs cannot be investigated in many cases due to various reasons including technological shortcomings, illegal service providers, law enforcing agencies’ lack of manpower and using of same computers by many at cyber cafes.
The fake IDs are used to post controversial status and pictures in an aim to create social and political instability. Sometimes they are used to instigate religious hatred also.
At present the number of Facebook users is more than 25 million in the country. About two years ago, the number of fake IDs was half of the total users. At present the number is much less, said sources from regulatory bodies.
But in most cases, regulatory bodies, service providers and law enforcers cannot identify the fake IDs due to various technological shortcomings.
In many cases, the IDs cannot be traced as the illegal internet service providers do not abide by the rules of regulatory bodies.
A senior assistant commissioner from police’s counter terrorism and transnational crime unit told the Dhaka Tribune: “The number of cyber crimes is increasing day by day. At times it is committed through spreading fake news, and at times through spreading rumors. It is possible to bring them all under judicial process.”
In reply to a query over why it is not investigated if common people are harassed, he said, “The number of complaints submitted everyday is much more comparing to our manpower. Moreover, it takes time to complete the investigation process sometimes as it is mainly based on technology.”
“On the other hand, several hundred computers use a same IP, making it tough to trace a particular operator. That’s why investigation into cyber crime takes much time,” he said, adding that it is not impossible to trace the offender.
Deputy Commissioner of Police’s cyber security and crime unit Md Alimuzzaman, however, claimed that every complaint is investigated.
General Secretary of Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh Imdadul Huq said, “If anything is done under the network of licensed service providers, the offender can be traced. But if the offender takes service from an illegal provider then it is tough to trace him.”
Contacted over the issue, a senior official of Bangladesh Tele Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said, “The commission do not trace fake ID, or monitor FB posts. We only investigate if a complaint is submitted to us, and take action accordingly.”