DSA, a repressive tool of ruling quarter to silence critics, journalists

The Digital Security Act (DSA) has been handed over to the ruling quarter as a tool to silence the critics, journalists and minorities.

The act is repressive, unconstitutional and against the spirit of freedom. Even after being reformed, it is difficult to take the draconian act to an acceptable level. That's why the act will have to be abolished.

The eminent citizens came up with this demand at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday.

They pressed seven demands, including the abolishment of DSA, withdrawal of DSA cases filed against Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, other editors, journalists and people.

The executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, Iftekharuzzaman, said the law, enacted in the name of Digital Security Act, is actually a digital insecurity act. All citizens feel insecure. It cannot be said to be the Digital Security Act.       

He said the act has been handed over to the ruling quarter as a tool. Now the law enforcement agency stands by the oppressors instead of oppressed people. 

Terming the act repressive, discriminative, unconstitutional and against the spirit of freedom, the law is unacceptable at any scale. Even after being reformed, it is difficult to take the law to an acceptable level. That’s why the act will have to be abolished.

The former president of Puja Udjapan committee, Kajal Devnath, said the DSA was applied to minorities. It is a special act of exploiting the minorities. So, the application of this law will have to be postponed until it is amended.

The chairperson of Association of Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Kushi Kabir, said the DSA is obstructing the practice democracy while the senior lawyer of Supreme Court (SC), Tabarak Hossain, believe people who belong to two classes, journalists and religious minority, are particularly vulnerable to this law.    

In the press conference, the written statement was presented by the executive director of ALRD, Shamsul Huda. 

The DSA has become a personal tool of the ruling quarter. It is used to punish the people who are disliked by a special quarter. The arrest of Prothom Alo journalist Samsuzzaman in DSA case and the custodial death of Sultana Jesmin in Naogaon after being sued under the DSA are the glaring instances, read the statement.