Anisul says Digital Security Act should not be repealed

Law Minister Anisul Huq has said that the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA) should not be cancelled despite it being abused and misused, reports The Daily Star.

"It (DSA) was misused and abused to some extents. But, I don't think that it should be cancelled. It was found earlier that a journalist was arrested immediate after a case was filed under the DSA. In this situation, I have ensured that nobody is arrested immediately after a case is filed under this law. The court will take necessary steps if anybody commits any punishable offence," he said.

He was addressing a view-exchange meeting with the government pleaders and public prosecutors organised by the law and justice division of the law ministry at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on Saturday

Minister Anisul Huq said Father of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had included the independence of the media as a fundamental right in the constitution.

His daughter Sheikh Hasina-led government will never formulate any such law which can damage the freedom of press and expression.

The law minister urged the lawyers not to seek adjournments of case hearing repeatedly from the court in order to reduce the backlogs of cases.

He said case backlog is not only the problem in Bangladesh; case backlog is a big problem across the world.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led government has taken many steps including increasing the number of judges and courts, amendment of some sections of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), the Evidence Act and National Instrument Act, and emphasis on the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system," Anisul Huq said.

Law and Justice Division Secretary Md Golam Sarwar presided over the meeting where eight government pleaders and eight public prosecutors from eight divisions of the country spoke.