Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (Noab) President and ManabZamin Chief Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury has urged the government not to restrict press freedom and freedom of expression through the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, warning that such laws could be used against those currently in power after they leave office.
Senior media professionals and civil society representatives also warned that imposing strict laws without ensuring social media platforms' accountability for misinformation could ultimately backfire on the government.
"Please do not tie our hands again. If you tie our hands, you will harm yourself. I will no longer be able to write for you. One day, you will have to come back to us," Matiur Rahman Chowdhury said.
He added that power is not permanent and laws should be formulated with the future in mind.
He made the remarks at a roundtable discussion on the proposed law at the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) office in Dhanmondi, Dhaka today (18 October).
The meeting was organised by 19 organisations, including TIB, BRAC, Blast and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.
Matiur Rahman Chowdhury said laws were necessary to tackle cybercrime, but criticism of the government must be distinguished from cybercrime. Criticism of the government was inevitable in a democratic society, he said, warning that failing to distinguish between the two would create risks.
He also questioned a provision allowing newspapers or online news outlets to be shut down over an individual's offence. He warned that political influence could affect enforcement, potentially leading to arrests following calls from ruling party leaders at the local level.
He raised concerns about the definition of "false information", asking who would determine whether information was deliberately false or intended to defame someone. He also opposed granting mobile courts the authority to try journalists, questioning whether such a provision was compatible with a democratic society.
He called for discussions on the proposed law across districts and consultations with people from all walks of life, including diverse representation on the committee responsible for drafting it.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, who chaired the meeting, said the proposed law prioritised consolidating power and controlling freedom of expression.
"The proposed law will backfire on the government. It will be self-defeating. The government should step back from this position," he said.
He said misinformation could not be controlled through legislation alone. The government should work with social media platforms, which make substantial profits from the spread of false information, and ensure their accountability, he added.
He also said criminalising people's rights in the name of preventing misinformation was unjustifiable.
In his closing remarks, Iftekharuzzaman called for unity between civil society and the media to protect freedom of expression and the press. He urged the government to remove restrictive provisions and revise the law based on consultations with civil society representatives and media workers.
Other participants included Dhaka Journalists Union President Md Shahidul Islam, Daily Waadaa Editor Shafiqul Alam, and Tech Global Institute Bangladesh Head Fawzia Afroz.