Stakeholders' opinions to be sought before finalising draft CSA: Law minister
Anisul Haque mentioned that the government is considering whether the Digital Security Act cases could be persecuted under the Cyber Security Act
Law Minister Anisul Huq has said the parliamentary standing committee must take opinions of the stakeholders before finalising the draft of the Cyber Security Act.
"The upcoming parliament session is scheduled to begin on 3 September. The cabinet has already granted its final approval for the draft act on Monday, paving the way for its presentation in the parliament. The Parliamentary Standing Committee will convene discussions with stakeholders on the draft law. I will give you [reporters] further updates on this matter," he said while talking to reporters in his office at the secretariat today (29 August).
Anisul Huq mentioned that the government is considering whether the Digital Security Act cases could be persecuted under the Cyber Security Act.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"Four sections of the Cyber Security Act are classified as non-bailable. Additionally, there have been reductions in the penalties specified in various sections," he said.
On Monday (28 August), the cabinet gave the final approval to the draft Cyber Security Act 2023, which will replace the controversial Digital Security Act.
All offences have been made bailable in the draft law except for those under four sections.
Illegal access to critical information and computer infrastructure, cyber terrorism offences, hacking-related offences and desecration of the national flag and the Liberation War will not be bailable under the proposed law.
According to government officials, the proposed law will replace the DSA with amendments to some sections of the existing law and the addition of new penalties for hacking-related offences.
However, stakeholders and human rights organisations have voiced concerns regarding the draft of the proposed Cyber Security Act. They said certain sections of the Act have remained largely unchanged, with only minor sentence reductions and the introduction of bail provisions.
The DSA was enacted in 2018, aimed at replacing the controversial Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, 2006 (as amended in 2013), which was passed during the BNP-Jamaat reign.
