The government has fixed 10 days from August 11 to 20 for the media personnel to give their opinion regarding the draft Data Protection Act, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Wednesday. He was speaking at a meeting on the recommendations and opinions of media personnel regarding the draft ‘Data Protection Act 2022’ at the Bangladesh Computer Council in the city. This law will be enacted to ensure the freedom and protection of citizens' information, he said adding due to this law the data cannot be used by any foreigner. The state minister also said initiative has been taken to enact the law so that third parties can’t get any data without the consent of individuals or organisations. Read: Data Protection Act 2022 to protect data, not to control it: Anisul “Data is the next wealth,” said Palak, adding that those who can properly store and manage this digital data will be a very wealthy nation, he added. President of Editors Guild Bangladesh and Ekattor Television Managing Director Mozammel Babu and  former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul among others gave their views on the draft law. Another view-exchanging meeting on the draft of the law will be held with representatives of data scientists and multinational companies.

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said cases under the Digital Security Act (DSA) are decreasing in the country due to the government initiative. The law enforcers are not arresting the accused in a hurry and they are also not talking about the cases under DSA directly. Cases under the DSA are sent to the special cell, he said.  Also read: Govt enacted DSA to prevent cybercrime: Law Minister Anisul Huq was speaking at a dialogue on the ‘Mass Media Employees Act, Digital Security Act, and Data Protection Act’ organised by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat media centre.  In response to a question about the progress in the government’s assurance to amend the much-criticised DSA, the minister said, “We held a meeting with the United Nations High-Commission for Human Rights Office in 2019 in Geneva through the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh. In the meeting, we have taken a decision to form two separate committees. The committees will recommend to us the best practices in the world and we will accept those which will fit Bangladesh. We have already formed a committee led by the legislative secretary.”  This committee sat in a meeting and will meet once again very soon, he added.  Claiming that DSA is not aimed at obstructing free journalism in the country, Anisul said, “Technology has improved in the country. We have to face the disadvantages of technology. DSA has been formed to face this challenge. A committee has been working to stop the misuses of the act and misuses will surely be stopped in the future.”  “We want to assure all that Digital Security Act has been made to combat the cybercrimes. The government of Sheikh Hasina will not form any kinds of law which will bar freedom of the press,” he asserted.     About the proposed Data Protection Act, Anisul said, he was told of its advantages and disadvantages by a team of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry informed.  He said he discussed the issue with the state minister for ICT. The state minister assured that the proposal will be reviewed.  Also read: US envoy discusses DSA with law minister Anisul defended the government move to enact a law for the mass media employees. He said journalists may demand corrections in the proposed law instead of cancelling it. BSRF president Tapan Biswas presided over the dialogue while its general secretary Masudul Haque moderated it.