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Article

3 Aug 2021

Author:
Emdadul Haque, The Daily Star

Commentary: Pegasus revelations highlight cyber security concerns in Bangladesh

“Pegasus controversy and cyber security in Bangladesh”, 3 August 2021.

The controversial Pegasus surveillance spyware has shaken the cyber security of the world sparking global outrage...

..Bangladesh [does] not have a cyber security law except the conventional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, 2006 and the Digital Security Act (DSA), 2018. In the wake of ultra-advancements in surveillance techniques over the last 10 years, the existing legal structure is not sufficient to cope with the newly manifested threats.

..[I]n Bangladesh, any sort of spyware is illegal because spyware or malware enables cybercrimes under the ICT Act, 2006 and the DSA, 2018. In order to check the misuse of surveillance technologies, the existing cyber law needs to be amended or a dedicated cyber security law should be enacted.

Article 43(B) of the Bangladesh Constitution, 1972 safeguards citizens' privacy of correspondence and communication. Section 63 of the ICT Act, 2006 provides penalty for disclosure of confidential and private electronic record, book, register, correspondence, information, document, or other material without consent of the person concerned...

The DSA, 2018 as a form of cyber security law, aims to promote confidentiality and integrity with the target to protect individuals' rights and privacy, commercial interests, and data protection in the cyberspace.

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