Digital Security Act: Editors meet ministers

M Humayun Kabir
The Editors’ Council has met with ministers to discuss concerns over the recently passed Digital Security Act 2018.
The meeting began at the Secretariat office around 12:30pm yesterday, postponing a protest programme at the request of the Bangladesh government, reports bdnews24.com.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar were present at the meeting.
Prime Minister’s Information Affairs Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and acting Information Secretary Abul Hossain also accompanied them.
Ignoring The Editors’ Council protests, the parliament passed the bill on September 19.
The council had called a protest programme for Sep 29 stating that the bill brings ‘serious threats to the freedom of expression and media operations’. Later, the information minister requested the council not to go ahead with the protest plan.
Following the request, the council suspended the call and decided to meet with the government leaders.
The media delegation was led by Mahfuz Anam, the editor of The Daily Star and the general secretary of the council.
News Today Editor Riaz Uddin Ahmed, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, Jugantor Editor Saiful Islam, Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milon, Inqilab’s AMM Bahauddin, Dhaka Tribune’s Zafar Sobhan, Independent’s Shamsur Rahman, Banik Barta’s Hanif Mahmud, Samakal’s Mustafiz Shafi were also present at the meeting.
“The Editors’ Council had expressed its concerns and statements after the announcement of the Digital Security Bill in parliament. This meeting is called to discuss those concerns.” Abul Hossain said at the meeting.
“We hope to reach a proper solution through the discussion.”
Hossain also pledged to discuss the strategies to solve the problems.
Information Minister Inu said he was scheduled to hold separate meetings with leaders of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, the Dhaka Union of Journalists and Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday afternoon over the same issue.