Editors' Council fears threat to freedom of journalism

Expressing concern over declaring 29 state agencies as the "Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)", the Editors' Council has said it would hamper the journalists' right to information and be a threat to freedom of journalism.

They have sought clarification from the government regarding the circular to remove confusion about the issue.

Earlier, the platform of newspaper editors also expressed their concern about the matter related to the amendment to the Press Council Act without prior discussion with the stakeholders.

"It (the declaration of CII) is a threat to freedom of journalism as it may curtail their (journalists) access to information if those state agencies fail to provide public services," the Council said in a statement issued Wednesday.

They said the move may also encourage corruption, irregularities, and lack of accountability in those state bodies.

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Division on October 04 last published a gazette declaring 29 vital state agencies as the CII as per the section 15 of the Digital Security Act, 2018.

The CII refers to any computer systems, network or information infrastructure (of any state organs concerned).

As per the provision of the act, it will be treated as an act of offence if anyone "intentionally or knowingly illegally enters any critical information infrastructure, or by means of illegal entrance, harms or destroys or renders inactive the infrastructure or tries to do so".

Such an offence will be punished with imprisonment for a maximum term of seven years, or a fine not exceeding Tk 2.5 million, or both.

Accessing the systems illegally with the intent of harming it will carry a prison term for a maximum of 14 years, or a fine not exceeding Tk 10 million, or both.

A second or further attempt to breach the system illegally will be met with imprisonment for life, or fine not exceeding Tk 50 million, or both.

The 29 CIIs are: President's office, Prime Minister's Office, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Data Center Company Ltd, Bridges Division, Department of Immigration and Passports, National Data Center of Bangladesh Computer Council, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, National Identity Registration Wing of Election Commission Secretariat, Central Procurement Technical Unit, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Establishment Project, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Immigration Police, Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd, Bangladesh Water Development Board, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, Bangabandhu Satellite Company Ltd, Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh, Birth and Death Registration unit of the Office of the Registrar General, Bangladesh Bank, Sonali Bank, Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, Rupali Bank, Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, Dhaka Stock Exchange, and Chittagong Stock Exchange.

Presided over by the Council's president and editor of the Daily Star Mahfuz Anam, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, Manabzamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, the Financial Express editor Shamsul Huq Zahid, Inquilab editor AMM Bahauddin, Jugantar editor Saiful Alam, Bonik Barta editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Karatoa editor Md Mozammel Haque, Samakal acting editor Mozammel Hossain, Desh Rupantor editor Mustafa Mamun, and Sangbad executive editor Shahriar Karim attended the meeting, while the Daily Azadi editor MA Malek joined the meeting virtually.

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