Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has published a commentary on the implementation of the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA) and its impacts on the freedom of expression in Bangladesh. The DSA, enacted in 2018, has been criticized as a draconian law by international human rights organizations. Recently, Volker Turk, United Nations human rights chief, called on the Bangladesh government to immediately suspend the law. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also recommended in June 2022 to the Bangladesh government to make various amendments to the law. The government has so far declined to make any changes to the law.
Riaz, in his commentary, states that the government’s attitude to ignore the OHCHR’s recommendation demonstrates that it intends to continue the law’s use to silence critics. Drawing on his research on DSA, Riaz writes that at least 1,295 cases have been filed between October 2018 and March 2023. In these cases, 3,644 people were accused and 1,378 of them were arrested under this law. Referring to the statistics, Riaz writes, it shows a clear pattern that the DSA is being used as a tool to instill fear in society.
