29 institutions ‘critical info infrastructure’

The government has announced 29 agencies and institutions such as the Prime Minister's Office, central and state-owned banks, and the national identity and immigration departments as "critical information infrastructure", officially declaring illegal access to their information as punishable offence.

It stated this in a gazette published on Sunday by the ICT Division.

According to the Digital Security Act, these infrastructures are those that control, process, circulate or preserve any information-data or electronic information that if damaged or critically affected, may adversely affect public safety, financial security, public health, national security or national integrity, and sovereignty.

Due to this new decision, offences like illegal access can be dealt with punishments as strict as life imprisonment.

The Director General of the Digital Security Agency is empowered with ensuring that no illegal access takes place. To achieve this, regular inspections are to take place and reports are to be submitted to the government.

The director general is also empowered with taking pre-emptive measures to protect these structures.

"If the director general has reason to believe that any activity of an individual regarding any matter within his jurisdiction is threatening or detrimental to any critical information infrastructure, then he may, suo moto, or upon a complaint of any other person, inquire into the matter," states the Digital Security Act 2018.

The critical information infrastructures are PMO; the President's Office; Bangladesh Bank; National Board of Revenue; Immigration and Passport Department; Bridges Division; National Data Center Company Ltd; National Data Centre, Bangladesh Computer Council; Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission; Election Commission's national identity database; Central Procurement Technical Unit; Sonali Bank; Agrani Bank; Rupali Bank; Janata Bank; Rooppur Nuclear Power plant project site; Biman Bangladesh Airlines; Immigration, Bangladesh Police; Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd; Power Grid Company of Bangladesh; Bangladesh Power Development Board; Power Grid Company of Bangladesh; Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company; Central Depository Bangladesh; Bangabandhu Satellite Company; Bangladesh Securities and Stock Exchange Commission; Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh; Registrar General's Office, birth and death registration; and Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchange.

Tarique Barkatullah, who leads the National Data Centre, said, "ICT personnel have been trained to provide security to these infrastructures."