Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association, an advocacy organisation, demands digital rights be inserted into the constitution as a basic right
Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association came up with the demand after submitting a proposal through email and WhatsApp to the Chairman of the Constitution Reform Commission.
The other proposals include—introducing a new provision in the chapter on fundamental rights, declaring internet access as a basic right for every citizen, ensuring fair and affordable internet access for all, with specific measures to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas, ensuring the privacy of correspondence, to explicitly include the protection of digital communications, such as emails, apps, social media and internet data, taking steps to ensure the security of personal data and cyber safety.
The organisation also made some recommendation, enacting strict data protection laws to regulate data collection, storage and usage by government and private entities, taking steps to establish an independent data protection authority, preventing discrimination, censorship and unwarranted surveillance in internet use through robust legislation, incorporation of education and awareness programs on digital rights and internet usage, constitutional amendments with international standards, such as the UN's recognition of internet access as a human right and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).