Univ teachers demand DSA abolished
A group of university teachers yesterday demanded abolition of the Digital Security Act (DSA) saying the government is "applying the law only against those who have been outspoken about corruption, abduction and killing."
They also called for the immediate release of all those arrested under the DSA.
University Teachers' Network, a platform for private and public university teachers, yesterday staged a sit-in to protest against the law at the base of Central Shaheed Minar.
Some 30 protesters joined the programme.
Speaking at the programme, Md Tanzimuddin Khan, an associate professor of international relations at Dhaka University (DU), alleged that recently there has been an institutional attempt to seize people's freedom of expression.
"Those who have been lying since the inception of the coronavirus outbreak in the country by saying they are well equipped to combat the pandemic are the real criminal.
"Digital Security Act should have been applied against them, instead of those who have remained vocal against corruption, abduction and killing," he said.
The state is very alert to protect the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, but not at all to protect people's lives, Tanzim said.
"We need the freedom of expression to raise voice against these irregularities and corruption; we need it for the sake of survival. This black law needs to be abolished to protect our right to speak," he added.
Samina Luthfa, associate professor of sociology at DU, said, "We have to raise voice against the law for the sake of our security and safety. We need to make them [the government] abolish this law and unveil the real picture of the irregularities.
"If we, the general people, want to survive we have to speak up about the mismanagement, corruption and irregularities. But no one, including teachers, doctors and policemen, has the right to speak," she added.
Calling for a mass movement against the act, Rushad Faridi, assistant professor of Economics at DU, said "The act includes repressive non-bailable penalties for at least 14 offences which means one may be imprisoned for two or three months for a Facebook post. A country which has such a law is not worth living."
Rashed Sahriar, general secretary of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, alleged that the government has violated the constitution by curbing people's freedom of expression.
Several teachers and students were arrested for updating Facebook statuses criticising the health sector, following the death of former health minister Mohammed Nasim.
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