The concerns raised by newspaper editors over the Digital Security Act will be discussed in the Cabinet, says Law Minister Anisul Huq.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with the Editors’ Council on Sunday, he said, “Since the bill has not been sent to the president for ascent yet, therefore their objections will be presented in the Cabinet meeting and then another meeting will be held with the Editors’ Council.
“The prime minister is expected to return Monday. A cabinet meeting is scheduled for Oct 3, but due to number of items on the agenda that day it can’t be brought up. The matter will be raised in the following meeting.”
The decision came after the government sat for a three-hour meeting with the media representatives on Sunday.
The Editors’ Council, along with several media organisations, objected to the numerous sections of the new law that curb the freedom of expression and threaten independent journalism.
Ignoring their protests, the Parliament passed the bill on Sep 19.
The council had called a protest programme for Sep 29 stating that the bill brings ‘serious threats to the freedom of expression and media operations’.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar and Information Affairs Adviser to the PM Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were present at the meeting on Sunday.
The discussion centred on sections 8, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 43 and 53 of the law, Editors’ Council General Secretary Mahfuz Anam told the media after the meeting.
“These specific provisions will hinder press freedom. Our concerns and recommendations have been presented to the three ministers in writing. We had concerns about section 21, but the government’s explanation over it satisfied us,” he said.
The Daily Star editor said that journalists were not against a law for digital security, but it should not muzzle press freedom.
“We do not want the law passed in parliament scrapped, but amended. We have had meetings with the ministry before it was passed, sat with the parliamentary committee twice and was supposed to attend a third meeting, which did not happen. We have no idea why the House panel cleared the law without the third meeting,” said Anam.
News Today Editor Riaz Uddin Ahmed, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, Jugantor Editor Saiful Islam, Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milon, Inqilab’s AMM Bahauddin, Dhaka Tribune’s Zafar Sobhan, Independent’s Shamsur Rahman, Banik Barta’s Hanif Mahmud, Samakal’s Mustafiz Shafi were also present at the meeting.
The government has taken the concerns raised by journalists seriously, said Information Minister Inu.
“We are trying to get a clear idea, which may need another couple of meeting. The government believes in safeguarding the members of the media.
“Digital crimes are on the rise and it has turned into a menace. The new law will effectively curb it,” he said.
Inu, however, declined to respond further queries from the media on the law, saying, “It would not be appropriate as the government has decided to open talks on the issue.”
The information minister has held separate meetings with leaders of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, the Dhaka Union of Journalists and Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday over the same issue.