The Digital Security Act was then abolished and the Cyber Security Act was enacted in its place, with some reduced sentences and changes here and there, although basically most of the repressive sections of the two older laws were retained, Sometimes with changes in words. In case of ‘offences’ like defamation, instead of jail sentence, the fine has been increased manifold and some non-bailable sections have been made bailable.
However, it has been revealed from various human rights organizations that at least 6 sections of the new law namely Sections 17, 19, 27, 30 and 33 have been kept non-bailable. Therefore, the law which was meant to ensure security in cyberspace is being used as a threat to the constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech and expression, and especially against journalism and investigative journalists.
With the ever-increasing attacks, threats and cases against the media, freedom of the press and the right to expression of opinion, i.e. freedom of speech, have been violated, resulting in increased self-censorship. In the media house. Although the government has no official ban, many media houses avoid publishing news that may go against the government, political parties or corporate establishments, or publish these in carefully clipped versions.
A 2022 US human rights report claimed that investigative journalists in Bangladesh often allege that their management executives or their editors often ‘kill’ their investigative reports out of fear of ‘coercion’.