Cyber Security Act to be amended soon: Asif Nazrul

Law, justice and parliamentary affairs adviser Asif Nazrul Sunday said Cyber Security Act (CSA) will be amended soon.

“The CSA will be amended as it needs to be amended,” he said, adding that his ministry will start work on this issue soon.

Asif Nazrul was addressing a meeting to exchange views, organised by NGO Affairs Bureau and Right to Information Forum (RIF) in NGO Bureau office at city’s Agargaon.

Cabinet division secretary (coordination and reform) Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan and secretary of ICT division Shish Haider Chowdhury addressed the meeting with NGO Affairs Bureau director general Md. Saidur Rahman in the chair.

TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman, NGO Affairs Bureau director Md. Anowar Hossain and executive director of media and resources development initiative (MRDI) Hasibur Rahman attended the function as panel discussants while noted policy analyst Anonnyo Raihan was the moderator.

Electoral reform commission head Badiul Alam Majumder took part during the opening discussion while RIF convenor Shahin Anam presented a keynote paper.

Asif Nazrul said people have lack of awareness on Right to Information (RTI) unlike other rights. All rights are worthless without the RTI, he said adding every right closely depends on RTI.

He said, in absence of proper execution of law, justice and governance there is no utility of the information commission or human rights commission in a country.

Those people who speak about the RTI should also advocate for fair elections, intimidation, forced disappearance and extrajudicial killing, he added.

The adviser further said the previous government had made the judiciary an instrument of torture and legislative a forum of plunderers.

“We should be vocal about these things,” he said.

Asif Nazrul said, the RTI Act was formulated during the tenure of the previous government. AT the same time, many laws were framed by that government to destroy the spirit of the RTI.

“It is not possible to implement any law without fixing the good governance and law and justice. We must be vocal about democracy, voting rights of the people and independence of the judiciary,” he said.

“We will always remain against the bad . . . and will be in favour of the good. I hope that civil society will always uphold this principle and extend cooperation to build a new Bangladesh, emerged from the student-led uprising.”

Badiul Alam said the fascist government has fallen but their ghosts are still active. They are harassing people continuously in many ways, which should be stopped immediately.

Iftekharuzzaman said common people do not want to know the necessary information from any government agency in fear of harassment.

“We have to create such an environment where people will be encouraged to collect information,” he said.