BASIS urges interim government to repeal Cyber Security Act

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) has urged the interim government to repeal the Cyber Security Act (CSA) 2023.

The act continues the repressive measures of the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018 and Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act 2006, which are contrary to the country's constitution and pose a severe threat to human rights, BASIS said in a media statement on Friday.

M Asif Rahman, director of the organisation, raised this issue at a general meeting of BASIS. “It was unanimously decided that BASIS would first initiate discussions on the matter with the interim government.”

The Cyber Security Act (CSA) 2023 has frequently been used to target journalists, human rights activists, and dissenting voices, despite legislators' repeated justifications for its enactment. Recent events, such as the arrest of numerous individuals for criticising the quota system and charges against others for satirical posts, highlight the abuse of this law.

BASIS Director said, “The Cyber Security Act (CSA) 2023 retains many of the provisions of the Digital Security Act (DSA), granting authorities excessive powers to search, arrest, and detain individuals without warrants. This law enables government control over online content and infringes on freedom of speech.”

BASIS President Russell T. Ahmed said, “Based on my recent experiences, I can say that this law is often misused. The Cyber Security Act (CSA) 2023 threatens freedom of expression and personal security in Bangladesh. To end the suppression of dissent and comply with international human rights standards, this law must be repealed.”

BASIS calls on the interim government to repeal or substantially amend the Cyber Security Act (CSA) 2023 and urges the release of individuals detained under this law and the withdrawal of all charges against them.

Furthermore, BASIS advocates for necessary actions to repeal this unconstitutional act, read the statement.