Writ seeks ban on phone tapping

A writ petition was filed with the High Court (HC) on Tuesday seeking its directive to authorities concerned to put an end to phone tapping.

The writ also sought directions from the HC to form a committee to investigate the already leaked phone calls.

On behalf of 10 Supreme Court lawyers, Advocate Shishir Mohammad Monir filed the plea with a HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mustafizur Rahman.

Monir told the media, the writ will be heard according the court's Cause List.

The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology; Posts and Telecommunications Division, ICT Division, and Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) have been made Respondents in the writ petition.

Earlier on 22 January, these lawyers sent a legal notice to the agencies concerned asking them to take necessary steps within seven days to stop phone tapping.

The notice sought to know what steps the BTRC has taken in accordance with the law to prevent eavesdropping on phone conversations, mentioning 16 high-profile phone tapping incidents from 2013 to 2021.

Mentioning Article 43 of the Constitution where Bangladesh recognises the protection of privacy of letters and other means of communication as a fundamental right of citizens, the notice drew attention to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that has recognised and protected the rights to privacy of the people.

They also mentioned Section 6 of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Act, 2001, according to which the telecommunications regulatory commission was established. The commission is legally responsible for ensuring the protection of the privacy of telecommunications.

Advocate Monir said that the writ petition was filed with the HC as they did not receive any reply to the notice.