Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s press conference on Wednesday was largely featured by the Digital Security Act and upcoming general election.
The premier appeared before the media at her official residence, the Ganabhaban to brief on her recent visit to the US for the UN General Assembly.
After reading out a written statement, she took questions from the members of the media, which included top newsmen of several outlets.
Former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, the political landscape in the run up to the polls also dominated the media call.
‘All political parties will contest in polls’
Responding to a query, Hasina said that she hoped all political parties will participate in the next parliamentary election before adding: “There are many political parties in the country and it’s their decision to join or boycott the polls; it’s not for us to decide.”
She said that her administration took initiative to bring all parties in run up to the 2014 election.
“But people were burnt to death in an attempt to foil that election. The party you want in the polls, kill people,” she said in a clear reference to the BNP.
Hasina said a lot of people affected in the 2014 BNP-orchestrated violence come to her. “I try my best to help them. And I think there’s no need to shed tears for the party who has done this to people.”
She claimed that Khaleda Zia and her son face a barrage of corruption allegations.
The people want development to continue and they believe that only the Awami League, can do it, said Hasina.
‘In favour of EVMs’
Hasina said she was in favour of introducing electronic voting machines (EVMs).
“It’s a Digital Bangladesh now. You can transfer a valuable thing like money through mobile phones. Vote is also a valuable thing for citizen, so why not casting it through EVMs. I am in favour of using EVM,” she said.
The prime minister further said that a technology should be innovated which will allow people to cast their franchises through mobile phones. “Even better, people will not have to go the polling stations.”
Hasina said it was clear that the government wants to introduce EVMs as the government recently approved a project to buy EVMs.
On Sept 19, the Executive Committee for the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gave the green light to a Tk 38.2 billion project for procuring 150,000 EVMs.
“We have faith on the people. They have elected us. It’s our responsibility to ensure their right to vote and that’s what exactly we are doing. I don’t have any problem with EVMs,” said the ruling Awami League president.
‘New law to address abuse of digital platform’
Amid widespread concern of the Digital Security Act, which critics say will effectively muzzle press freedom, the prime minister said the new law was meant to combat abuse of digital platforms.
Responding to a query by bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi citing communal slurs against national cricketer Liton Das on the social media, Hasina said, “The Digital Security Act has been introduced to prevent such demeaning acts.”
Pointing out this specific incident as an example of the the spread of radicalism in the country, Khalidi asked how the administration plans to deal with this new threat.
“Actually those people are mentally perverted and have no ideology. The society should be more careful to resist them”, she said urging journalists to play a proactive role to stop the spread of radicalisation.
She said if a journalist or newspaper does not publish false reports against anybody or mislead people should not be worried about the law.
Hasina said the provisions of the Digital Security Act are the same as they are in the CrPC. “Only the use of digital devices was included in the new law.”
The British law has a provision of penalising media outlets for running fake news as well as compensation for the victim, she said. “Rather, the Bangladesh law has a lacking compared to that.”
Only those journalists, who have piled up false news against the government as well as the Awami League and waiting to run those as soon as the polls schedules are announce are worried about the new law, according to the premier.
Hasina alleged that several newspapers published false news against her when she was in jail in 2007 and subsequently those proved false. “They are not even ashamed of publishing false news then.”
The Digital Security Act is meant to address the dirty practices of a section of people in social media, protecting the society and families, she said.
Cyber Security has posed a serious concern across the world, creating social and family problems in many countries and giving indulgence to militancy, terrorism and destroying moral values, she said.
‘Law will take its own course’
The matter on corruption allegations against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha will be dealt in line with the law, said the prime minister.
“Law will take its own course. If I say anything else, you (the media) will say I talk too much.”
Hasina’s remarks came responding to a query by Ekattor TV Chief Editor Mozammel Haque Babu, who said Sinha, in his book, described his outlet as the mouthpiece of the prime minister because they had reported on the corruption allegations.
“We still have evidence. Will the government will take any step against SK Sinha?” he asked.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said that it will investigate a case filed against Sinha.
In October last year, Sinha resigned from abroad following his departure on leave amid criticism from the ruling party over a verdict that scraped the 16th constitutional amendment, which empowered MPs to sack top court judges.
He is once again in the spotlight, for his book where he claimed that he was forced to resign and exiled by the government.
Soon after Sinha left the country last year, the Supreme Court in a rare statement stacked 11 charges against him including, graft, money laundering and moral lapse.
Sinha, who is now in the US, launched the book on Sept 19 in Washington, when he said he has sought asylum in the country.
Following which, the ACC said it has opened a money laundering probe against the former chief justice’s brother Ananta Kumar Sinha.
On Sept 27, former BNP leader and lawyer Nazmul Huda sued Sinha on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Huda claims that Sinha demanded Tk 30 million from his as bribe sometime in 2017 and that the incident took place in the chambers of the top judge.

Rohingya crisis
About the Rohingya problem, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been continuing diplomatic efforts over the last one year in various multilateral forums and bilaterally to resolve this.
“We have had meeting with the UN and several other organisations over the Rohingya crisis, where calls were made to mount pressure on Myanmar as well as a conducive environment for the Rohingyas in Rakhine,”
“I had placed a five-point proposal during the 72nd UNGA last year to resolve this Rohingya problem. During this UNGA session, I highlighted various initiatives taken by our government in some high-level meetings to have a sustainable solution to this Rohingya problem and I also sought their cooperation in this regard,” she added.