Govt set to launch ‘lawful’ interception system: Home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan
File photo

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said the government has taken a initiative to launch a lawful interception system to stop various anti-state and anti-government activities.

Replying to a question in the national parliament on Thursday, the minister said, “Advanced technologies such as Open Source Intelligence Technology (OSINT) have been adopted by NTMC (National Telecommunication Monitoring Center) to stop anti-state and government activities through social media monitoring (surveillance) on the internet.  Moreover, initiative has been taken up to launch an integrated lawful interception system.”

The home minister made the remarks in reply to a question of ruling Awami League’s lawmaker Shafiul Islam.

The home minister’s remark came days after a Israeli newspaper carried a report that Bangladesh bought advanced surveillance equipment, developed by a company controlled by the former commander of Israeli intelligence’s technology unit, in 2022.

Bangladesh does not recognise Israel and the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

Israel’s left-leaning newspaper Haaretz carried the report quoting official government documents and international export records on Tuesday.

The home minister replied that the government is steadfast in continuing progress, economic development, prosperity and democracy of the country by preventing domestic and foreign conspiracies

Shafiul Islam asked if the government would increase intelligence effort to stave off various local and international conspiracies.

The home minister replied that the government is steadfast in continuing progress, economic development, prosperity and democracy of the country by preventing domestic and foreign conspiracies.

The intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies are working relentlessly to prevent any conspiracies inside the country and take stringent measures against any individual, party or group who are found to be involved with any conspiracy to create anarchy.

He said the law and order situation in the country has remained stable as the government took effective measures to prevent communalism, militancy and conspiracy against the state upon intelligence report.