Information and communication technology adviser to the prime- minister, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has given a social media status voicing his views on the ongoing criticism of the newly passed Digital Security Act.
“With regards to hacking and covert surveillance in Government offices and computers, this was created to protect citizen data and privacy,” wrote the adviser, adding “We did not have any specific laws against hacking and theft of data until this Act.”
How are we supposed to prosecute hacking and theft of your data without this law? Government computers hold the National ID numbers and many other details of all our citizens. Your bank accounts, health records, land records, etc. are all being digitized and stored. If these are hacked, who will be to blame? You will blame the Government. As the ICT Advisor I had recommended these laws to prevent hacking, the Facebook post read.
“No country in the world allows journalists to obtain data through illegal means, including the EU and US. Covert surveillance inside any US Government office is illegal, even for journalists. Journalists must obtain their information through other sources.”
Addressing the foreign missions in Bangladesh which have expressed concern over the act, Sajeeb Wazed, asked Can journalists bring in hidden surveillance equipment inside your missions?”
The ICT adviser also asked the European countries: “if you can have holocaust denial laws then why can’t we have this?”
We have seen how after August 15th 1975, the BNP and Jamaat distorted the history of our Independence and the true story of the Father of our Nation Bangabandhu. They used these distortions to justify bringing back war criminals and making them ministers, along with giving the killers of Bangabandhu choice postings. Should there be no law against this? Should we not prevent this from happening in the future? Read the post.
Underlining that some European countries, especially Germany, there are laws against hate speech and inciting violence against people, he said “Our Act is no different”.
“During the commission of a crime, no warrant is needed for arrest or search. This is basic criminal law in any country, including ours.”
He further wrote, “If you call the police to report a theft, should they wait to get a warrant before arresting the thief and searching their belongings for the stolen items?”

Saying that no media body has ever enforced their own charter of ethics and conduct, the ICT adviser assured “Journalists and editors who have no intention of publishing falsehoods have nothing to worry about.”
“If the Editors’ Council wants these sections changed, then they must enforce their own charters first. Any editor or journalist who has published anything false must be removed and never again be allowed to serve as a journalist or editor.”