Workers Party demands review of Digital Security Act

The Workers Party (WP) of Bangladesh has demanded to review the Digital Security Act.

The party raised the demand at a politburo meeting of the party on Friday, says a press release.

Condemning the recent custodial death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed, leaders of the party said that a large number of journalists and others have become victims of the misapplication of Digital Security Act.

They said people from different strata of society have demanded the law be repealed – at least its oppressive clauses. In this context, it has become a necessity to review the law.

Observing that a 14-party coalition also needs to review the Act, the WP leaders said the party raised its strong objections to certain sections of the law when it was being enacted. While passing this law in the Parliament, the law minister spoke of preventing its misapplication and, if needed, reviewing all those sections that were being considered oppressive.

The meeting of the politburo of the Workers Party called for reviewing the law and reaching a consensus to take the democratic journey of Bangladesh forward.

Opposing the jute ministry's latest decision to lease out the closed state-owned mills to the private sector, the WP leaders demanded that the closed jute mills be modernised as per the proposal of Jute Mill Workers Struggle Council and reopened keeping the ownership under the state.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon presided over the meeting addressed by, among others: General Secretary of the party Fazle Hossain Badshah, Anisur Rahman Mallik, Dr Sushant Das, Mahmudul Hasan Manik, and Nur Ahmad Bakul.