Rejecting the statement of Amnesty International over the Digital Security Act (DSA) in Bangladesh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the statement of the organization is motivated.
“The Amnesty International has been issuing statements against Bangladesh and its government one after another. The organization is vocal most of the time, but it remains massively silent many times too,” he told newsmen at his official residence in capital Dhaka’s Minto Road, reports BSS.
The minister said the Amnesty International has lost its acceptability. “The organization didn’t issue any statement when hundreds of people were killed by hurling petrol bombs in Bangladesh. They also made statements in favour of war criminals. Even, they remained silent when people were killed like birds in Palestine. In fact, the acceptability of the organization has been lost,” he added.
He said the Digital Security Act is for ensuring security of the people of the country. The act is for all, including housewives, farmers, rickshaw pullers, officials and journalists, he added.
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said there was no need of the act when the issue of digital system did not exist. But, presently the act is needed to ensure digital security of people to save them from harassment on digital platforms as anyone can take shelter of the act, he added.
The minister said such act is not only in Bangladesh, it is also in many countries including in neighbouring India and Pakistan, Singapore, Australia and many of the countries of European Union. So, it is motivated to make statements over the act repeatedly, he added.
Replying to a query, Hasan congratulated BNP leader Rizvi Ahmed for taking COVID-19 vaccine though he (Rizvi) criticised the vaccines earlier.
The minister said it is a good sign. And he (Rizvi) admitted that his propaganda against the vaccine was false, he added.
In a press briefing on Monday, Amnesty International said the Digital Security Act (DSA) in Bangladesh has become a tool of the government to repress dissents, and it urged to scrap the act or amend the same following international standard and human rights law.