Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) President and Manabzamin Editor-in-Chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury has warned that governments seeking to curb criticism through restrictive laws risk becoming victims of those same laws after losing power, urging the government not to undermine press freedom and freedom of expression through the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act.
Senior media figures and civil society representatives also warned that imposing stringent legal restrictions without ensuring accountability of social media platforms for spreading 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 in your favour. One day, you will have to come back to us," Matiur told the government, stressing that no government remains in power forever and that legislation must account for the future.
He made the remarks at a roundtable on the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act at Transparency International Bangladesh's (TIB) office in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, yesterday. The meeting was organised by 19 organisations, including TIB, BRAC, BLAST and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.
Matiur acknowledged the need for legislation to combat cybercrime but said criticism of the government must not be conflated with criminal activity. Criticism is inevitable in a democratic society, he said, warning that failure to distinguish between the two would leave room for serious abuse.
He also questioned provisions that could allow a newspaper or online news outlet to be shut down over an offence committed by an individual. Warning of the risk of political interference in enforcement, he said even a phone call from a ruling party leader at the local level could potentially lead to someone's arrest.
Matiur also sought clarity on the proposed law's definition of "false information", warning that reporting could be labelled false or defamatory simply because someone dislikes its content.
He said the law must clearly establish what constitutes deliberate misinformation and who would have the authority to determine it.
He opposed granting mobile courts the power to try journalists, questioning how a court used to take action against manufacturers of adulterated medicines could be entrusted with adjudicating cases involving journalists in a democratic society.
Calling for wider public consultation, Matiur urged the authorities to hold discussions across districts and seek opinions from people across society. He also called for diverse professional and social representation on the committee responsible for drafting the legislation.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, who chaired the meeting, said the proposed legislation appeared designed to consolidate power and keep freedom of expression under control.
"The proposed law will backfire on the government. It will be self-defeating. The government should abandon this position," he said.
Iftekharuzzaman said legislation alone could not effectively combat misinformation and disinformation. Instead, authorities must work with social media platforms, which he said generate substantial profits by allowing false information to spread.
Without accountability for the platforms, attempts to control misinformation through legislation would be ineffective, he said, adding that it was unjustifiable to criminalise people's rights in the name of combating false information.
In his concluding remarks, Iftekharuzzaman said civil society and the media shared a common cause in protecting freedom of expression and press freedom, making coordination and solidarity essential. He called for the removal of the proposed law's repressive provisions and urged the government to revise it through consultations with civil society representatives and media professionals.
Other participants included Dhaka Union of Journalists President Md Shahidul Islam, Daily Oaada Editor Shafiqul Alam and Fouzia Afroz, Bangladesh head of the Tech Global Institute.