Govt has no intention to muzzle press freedom: Info minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman on Thursday (10 September) said the government has no intention of suppressing free thought, freedom of the press or journalists through the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026.

"Under no circumstances are any laws being enacted with the intention of suppressing free thought, freedom of the press, or journalists," he said.

Rather, he stressed that one of the government's key objectives is to prevent disorder on social media, protect social harmony and curb morally degrading content in the public sphere.

He made the remarks to journalists, after a meeting to review the draft of the "Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026" at the conference room of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

The minister said the media had previously been suppressed through various laws, including the Digital Security Act, and that the present government is extremely cautious about the possibility of such laws being misused against the media.

"The draft law is being revised with great care so that it does not contain any ambiguous (dual-meaning) words that could create opportunities for misuse against the media in the future," he said.

He further said obscene abuse, cyberbullying and vulgar content being spread across various online and social media platforms in the name of freedom of expression are damaging social values and ethics.

"Our main task is to prevent this social degradation and protect the freedom of the media. Discussions are ongoing with stakeholders on how these two issues can be coordinated without creating any conflict between them," he said.

The minister also emphasized the importance of social awareness alongside enforcement of the law, saying that it is not possible to suppress all crimes merely by enacting strict laws.

He said the government would undertake special programmes to make people aware that sharing defamatory information or posts in cyberspace without verifying their authenticity also falls within the scope of an offence.

Earlier in the morning, in his opening remarks at the consultation meeting, the information minister said that before finalizing the Cyber Security Amendment Act, it is essential to engage directly with the media and seek their opinions in the interest of protecting the publication of information, independent journalism and freedom of expression.

"That is why we are discussing the matter with media professionals," he said.

He said media professionals know best how the language of a law works at the grassroots level and where ambiguity may arise.

"You are the ones who know best how the language of a law works at the grassroots level and where ambiguity may arise. The cyber security of a democratic state and freedom of the media are not contradictory objectives; rather, they should complement each other," he said.

Assuring media editors, the minister said the government was not amending the law with any ulterior motive.

"We are not amending this law with any ulterior motive. There is no reason for the print media to be concerned about this. Please provide your suggestions openly regarding where there are ambiguities or complexities in the law. We will consider them seriously," he said.

Speaking at the consultation meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that amendments to the Cyber Security Act are necessary to maintain social balance.

He said the government is taking necessary measures to ensure that the law is not misused.

"The level of cybercrime has increased alarmingly worldwide. In many countries, 44 percent of all crimes are now committed in cyberspace. In Bangladesh as well, there is no alternative to a timely law to prevent crimes such as online fraud, sextortion, blackmailing of women, and the disruption of social and religious harmony," he said.

He said that the Prime Minister has given clear instructions that the law should be revised through consultations with stakeholders so that there is no misuse of the law or controversy surrounding it.

Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faqir Mahbub Anam, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Md. Asaduzzaman, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam also spoke at the function.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad, and Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Division Md. Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan were also present.

Participating in the open discussion, Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Muhammed Kader Gani Chowdhury said that the initiative taken by the incumbent government to formulate a Cyber Security Act by repealing and amending the controversial provisions of the repressive laws enacted during the previous government, is a positive and reassuring development.

Provisions for punishment of false complainants and the removal of non-bailable provisions are commendable, he stated.

Chowdhury further said, "Indecency on social media in the name of freedom of expression, and the online harassment of women, children, and prominent individuals through fake IDs can in no way be considered freedom of expression."

If such activities are encouraged, social vulgarity will increase and civilization will be disgraced, he said, adding that the law should also clearly provide for accountability if any government agency violates the cyber rights of citizens.

Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Mahbuba Farjana moderated the event.

The draft proposal for the Cyber Security (Amended) Act, 2026, was presented at the meeting by Director General of the National Cyber Security Agency Dr. Md. Taibur Rahman.

Leaders of journalists' organizations, editors of electronic, print, and online media outlets, and relevant stakeholders participated in the open discussion at the meeting.

Source: BSS