A group of 94 citizens yesterday called for the complete abolition of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) and urged the interim government to approve the draft Telecommunication (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 without placing surveillance powers to home ministry.
In a joint statement, the signatories said Bangladesh is currently undergoing a process of justice, reform and elections, which includes reforms of laws and policies.
However, despite stakeholder participation in drafting new ordinances and amending existing laws, public opinions are being consistently ignored.
In line with the aspirations of the July uprising, the interim government had published the draft Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, proposing the permanent removal of the government’s power to shut down the internet and major reforms to the existing surveillance framework.
The proposals reflected public demands for safeguards against abuse of power, the statement said.
The citizens referred to longstanding allegations of human rights violations, unlawful and unchecked surveillance and enforced disappearances linked to the NTMC.
Detailed accounts of NTMC’s alleged abuses have also emerged through court proceedings and the Commission of Inquiry on enforced disappearances formed by the government, which is why there has been a strong demand for the agency’s complete dissolution, the statement said.
According to media reports cited by the signatories, divisions have emerged within the government over whether to abolish the NTMC, indicating a retreat from plans for comprehensive surveillance reform.
Without meaningful citizen participation, a new draft law was prepared on October 15 proposing three alternative names for the NTMC
The draft was prepared by the NTMC itself with the aim of strengthening, rather than dismantling, its surveillance capacity, according to the statement.
The statement also referred to a November 17 meeting of the law and order core committee, where the head of an agency reportedly claimed that surveillance capabilities were being weakened, which would make it difficult to monitor threats to national sovereignty.
Following this, the home affairs adviser reportedly instructed that a meeting be convened on the Telecommunication Ordinance.
The citizens warned that at least two key citizen-protection provisions from the published draft will be removed in a new version expected to be placed next week, without public consultation.
They expressed concern that the Home Affairs Ministry is seeking to centralise control over surveillance, which they said could recreate the surveillance powers exercised during the previous government.
They also criticised proposed changes that would weaken transparency and accountability, including the removal of mandatory public reporting on surveillance requests and the dilution of plans for an independent, quasi-judicial oversight council involving citizens and judges.
The signatories demanded that internet services must never again be shut down or restricted, that the NTMC be dismantled and that officials involved in surveillance be held accountable through judicial oversight.
They urged the chief adviser and the government to approve the draft ordinance prepared with public participation, ensuring that post-uprising Bangladesh does not return to past practices of repression.
The statement was signed by prominent figures including TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, economist Anu Muhammad, philosopher Salimullah Khan, and writers, academics, journalists and human rights activists.