‘DSA for security of all digitally’

Information minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said the Digital Security Act is for giving security to people from digital harassment. In a press conference at his residence in the port city on Friday, he said government remained cautious so that the law was not misused.

His comments came against the backdrop of a nationwide firestorm of protests demanding repeal of Digital Security Act, after the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed -- who was incarcerated in a case filed under the law -- in jail.

Mahmud said the death of Mushtaq Ahmed was unwanted. "It can be looked into whether there was any negligence by the jail authorities over the death."

Replying to questions from journalists, the minister said as digital matters did not exist 10 to 15 years ago, there was no question of digital security, adding, "When a journalist is defamed in social media, when a housewife is demeaned in media including social media, when a common man is harassed in social media, how will they get remedy? Through what law? Digital Security Act has been enacted to give them security digitally."

However, the government is cautious so that the law is not misused, he said. "Especially, I am cautious so that no journalist is victimised by the misuse of the Act."