TIMELINE

August 22, 2016

Cabinet approves draft Digital Security Act. PM orders scrutiny of the draft and other similar laws to remove any repetitions, inconsistencies or inadequacies.

Nov 29, 2017

Draft of Digital Security Act finalised at an inter-ministerial meeting.

Jan 29, 2018

The cabinet approves the draft of the Digital Security Act-2018. Journalists and rights defenders fear freedom of the press and expression would be put to the sword.

April 9, 2018

Digital Security Bill placed in parliament. The bill is sent to the parliamentary standing committee on posts, telecommunications and information technology for scrutiny within 4 weeks.

April 19, 2018

Law minister assures Editors' Council of arranging a meeting with the parliamentary standing committee on post, telecom and IT to place their concerns about the Digital Security Act.

May 22, 2018

In the face of growing demand, the JS body invites the Editors' Council, Association of Television Channel Owners and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists to a meeting to hear their views on the bill.

May 22, 2018

Editors' Council, ATCO and BFUJ voice concern over section 8, 21, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, and 43 of the proposed law, saying these would greatly curtail the freedom of speech and independent journalism.

June 06, 2018

JS body gets 2 more months to scrutinise the bill.

July 4, 2018

JS body at a meeting with the Editors' Council, BFUJ and ATCO places an 11-point change to the proposed Digital Security Act for their consideration.

July 4, 2018

Representatives of the three organisations tells the committee that they will share their opinions on the changes later, following discussions in respective forums.

The JS body sets July 16 for further discussion on the bill with the organisations. But the meeting is postponed and no fresh date is announced.

Sept 10, 2018

JS body gets one month to securitise the bill.

Sept 11, 2018

JS body finalises Digital Security Bill without addressing journalist community's concerns. 

Sept 16, 2018

The Editors' Council rejects the JS body report and expresses its surprise, disappointment, and shock at the committee's final report on the proposed Digital Security Act.

Sept 17, 2018

JS body submits its report on Digital Security Bill, ignoring concerns of journalists over some of its sections.

Sept 19, 2018

Digital Security Bill passed in parliament.

Sept 22, 2018

Editors' Council at a meeting denounces the passage of the bill, announces to form human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Sept 29.

Sept 26, 2018

The information minister urges the Editors' Council to postpone its human chain programme and offers talks.   

Sept 27, 2018

The Editors' Council postpones the human chain programme.

Sept 30, 2018

Law minister, information minister, posts, telecom and information technology minister at a meeting with the Editors' Council promises to place the concerns of the editors, journalists, and media practitioners before the cabinet meeting to work out mendments to the digital security bill to make the law acceptable to all. 

Oct 2, 2018

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury signs the Digital Security Bill.

Oct 3, 2018

The PM at a briefing says journalists who do not publish false news need not worry about the Digital Security Bill, 2018.

Oct 4, 2018

The bill is sent to the office of the president for his assent

Oct 8, 2018

Cabinet meeting held, but journalists' concern about the bill is not raised as promised by the three ministers. President Abdul Hamid signs the Digital Security Bill into law.