Block all porn sites for 6 months: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the government to block all porn sites and publication of all obscene materials from the electronic forms for the next six months.

In response to a writ petition, the court also issued a rule against the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to block the pornographic websites and publication of obscene materials permanently.

In the rule, the HC also asked the respondents to show causes why they should not be ordered to include the numbers of national identity cards of people on the social media, including Facebook, in order to determine their age and to stop short-term tempting offers of internet from the mobile operators.

Secretaries to the ministries of post and telecommunication, law and information, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and the relevant mobile operators have been made respondents to the rule, petitioners' counsel Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallab told reporters.    

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal came up with the order and rule following a writ petition collectively filed by Law and Life Foundation, a rights organisation, one Russel Hossain from Chandpur and one Khairul Hasan Sarkar from Mymensingh – seeking necessary orders to block porn sites.

They submitted the petition to the HC on November 11, saying that a huge number of porn sites contain uncensored content and obscene material which impair the moral and mental development of youngsters.

Citing the petition, Barrister Humayun Kabir said Manusher Jonno Foundation in a study contended that 77 percent school students in the capital are addicted to pornography which is harmful for the nation.