DSA needs to be amended to prevent misuse: Stakeholders
Stakeholders at a roundtable on Saturday called for necessary amendments to the Digital Security Act (DSA) to prevent its misuse.
At the discussion, themed "Digital Security Act controversies", organised by Editors Guild Bangladesh at Dhaka Gallery, they noted that freedom of the press and space for free speech and creative works are shrinking in Bangladesh due to the misuses and abuses of the DSA.
Addressing the event, senior journalist Syed Ishtiaque Reza said, "The secular space has suffered a major blow due to this law. Journalists have resorted to self-censorship a lot. Investigative journalism is now on the verge of extinction."
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Sohrab Hasan, joint editor of the daily Prothom Alo, said the statistics of the last four years show that the law has been used mostly for political purposes.
"If the law restricts people instead of protecting them, then it becomes an anti-people law," he added.
Law Minister Anisul Huq also admitted that there have been some misuses and abuses in implementing the DSA, and said the government would amend the act if necessary.
The event was moderated by Mozammel Babu, president of Editors Guild Bangladesh.
