Telecom consumers seek constitutional protection for internet, data privacy rights

Telecom consumers, technology entrepreneurs and experts today (27 November) called for constitutional protection of the people's rights to internet access and data privacy.

Access to the internet should be declared as fundamental right, speakers said at a citizens' dialogue organised by Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers' Association (BMPCA).

Also the new constitution should include data privacy and protection clauses, they added.

Supporting the proposal, AKM Fahim Mashroor, former President of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, said that the internet is not only integral to Bangladesh's connectivity and economic activities.

The impact of the internet shutdown during the July student and public uprising demonstrated the severe repercussions.

Mobile internet was off for about 13 days, broadband internet for 8 days, and social media platforms were inaccessible for approximately 15 days then.

Preliminary calculations by economists and businesspeople estimated a loss of about $10 billion solely due to the internet shutdown as banking, insurance, healthcare, and all the technology-based sectors were paralyzed.

Today, the internet is no longer just a tool for communication or entertainment; it has become a fundamental human right in many countries, said BMPCA President Mohiuddin Ahmed.

Echoing him, IIG Association of Bangladesh President Aminul Hakim urged the government to ensure data protection citing the central bank reserve heist and citizens' information leaks during the previous government.

Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, a political analyst, stressed the importance of the internet as a tool for empowering the current generation.

The event featured additional insights from technology expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha, telecommunications expert Mustafa Mahmud Hussain and State Reform Movement activist Didarul Bhuiyan.