All you need to know about controversial Digital Security Act 2018

Owners of private television channels, the Editors' Council, and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) participated in a meeting at the parliament building.

A parliamentary committee on Tuesday assured amendments to the inconsistencies that currently exist in the proposed Digital Security Act 2018, including freedom of press and security of journalists.

The assurances were given at a meeting of journalists and members of the parliamentary committee at the Jatiya Sangsad, reports Bangla Tribune.

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Presided over by the committee's chairman, Imran Ahmed, the meeting also saw the participation of Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister, Mustafa Jabbar, and Law Minister, Anisul Huq, on special invitation.

Journalists present at the meeting welcomed the initiative of formulating the Digital Security Act. However, they proposed amending eight specific sections of the Act. 

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The journalists' proposal was accepted positively by the parliamentary committee, said Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister, Mustafa Jabbar, after the meeting ended.

"We are in agreement with the journalists about amending the sections they have problems with," said Mustafa."We are going to bring necessary amendments so the freedom of press does not get hampered."

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Representative of Editors' Council and Editor of Daily Samakal, Golam Sarwar, Editor of The Daily Star, MahfuzAnam, Representatives of private television channels, Salman F Rahman and Mozammel Babu, and President of BFUJ, Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, were present at the meeting.