BNP manifesto promises freedom of speech, binning ‘black’ laws

Abrar Hussain of DOT
BNP in its election manifesto has promised to scrap all ‘black’ laws including the Digital Security Act, Official Secrets Act and Special Power Acts in order to facilitate freedom of speech and expression.
The party also pledged it will not silence dissenting opinions and to lift restrictions on social media to let people speak freely and will ensure unhindered criticism of political leaders and the activities.
BNP also promised to amend the Right to Information Act to remove all barriers to freedom of information.
It has also vowed to put an end to extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearances, and inhumane physical and mental torture. Additionally, it pledged to open the field for ‘logical’ criticisms of political personalities.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir revealed its election manifesto yesterday at the party’s Nayapaltan office. The opposition party has seemed to greatly emphasized pledges of freedom of speech, abolishing “black laws” of the country and withdraw online vigilance to safeguard public right to opinion on the internet.