"In trying to make a law to lt^ prevent crimes through H digital devices and provide security in the digital sphere the Act ends up policing media operations, censoring content and controlling media freedom and freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by our constitution."

"The Act gives unlimited power to the police to enter premises, search offices, bodily search persons, seize computers, computer networks, servers, and everything related to the digital platforms. According to the Act, the police can arrest anybody on suspicion without warrant and do not need any approval of any authorities."

"The Act suffers from vagueness and uses many terms that can be misinterpreted and used against the media."

"DSA will create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation which will make journalism and especially investigative journalism virtually impossible." "In addition to media professionals the law will create panic among all users of computers, computer network, etc." EDITORS' COUNCIL

IN A WRITE-UP PUBLISHED ON DIFFERENT DAIUES ON SEPTEMBER 29 EXPLAINING WHY IT OPPOSES THE LAW

"The government also assured the journalists that there would be no such harsh provisions. But the bill was passed in the parliament ignoring the concerns and recommendations of journalists." DHAKA REPORTERS UNITY (DRU) IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 24

"Although Section 57 has been repealed in the proposed law, it has been replaced in different sections of the proposed law in a new and harsher way." WORKERS PARTY OF BANGLADESH, A COMPONENT OF RULING AWAMI LEAGUE-LED ALLIANCE, IN A STATEMENT ON FEBRUARY 7

"Some provisions of the law unduly restrict the freedom of expression and the freedom of the media and undermine judicial procedural guarantees."

"We call upon the government of Bangladesh to continue consultations on this law and pursue the commitments taken during the Universal Periodic Review last May, so as to ensure that the Digital Security Act will be in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Constitution of Bangladesh."

HEADS OF MISSIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES,THE EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION, AND THE HEADS OF MISSIONS OF NORWAY AND SWITZERLAND IN A JOINT STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 27

"The government of Bangladesh acknowledges that the current section 57 of the ICT Act is draconian, and needs to go. But the new law [Digital Security Bill] being proposed is hardly an improvement, creating a series of new offences that will undoubtedly be used for years to come against government critics in the country's highly politicized criminal justice system."

HUMAN RIGHTSWATCH

ASIA DIRECTOR BRAD ADAMS ON MAY 10

"The new Digital Security Act is a tool ripe for abuse and a clear violation of the country's obligations under international law to protect free speech."

"With at least five provisions criminalising vaguely defined types of speech, the law is a licence for wide-ranging suppression of critical voices... Several provisions violate international standards on free expression."

"The passage of this law utterly undermines any claim that the government of Bangladesh respects freedom of speech."

"Unless parliament moves swiftly to repeal the law it just passed, the rights of

the country's citizens to speak freely will remain under serious threat."

HUMAN RIGHTSWATCH

ASIA DIRECTOR BRAD ADAMS IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 26

"This law imposes dangerous restrictions on freedom of expression."

"Given how the authorities have arbitrarily arrested hundreds of people in the past six years under the Information and Communication Technology Act, there are serious concerns that the new Act will be used against people who speak out."

“The government must revert its course from this regressive law, that compromises its international commitments; and ensure they fully uphold the right to freedom of expression as protected by international human rights law."

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S SOUTH ASIA CAMPAIGNER SAAD HAMMADI IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 20

"Whilst yesterday's [Wednesday's] Parliamentary approval of the Digital Security Act (DSA) - which now awaits presidential approval - stands to repeal section 57 of the ICT Act, its most problematic elements will be replicated.

"It is deeply regrettable that despite the laudable commitments made -including as part of this UPR - to ensure its compliance with international human rights law, the legislation has not been revised."

"The DSA promises to impose far-reaching restrictions on online expression, affecting all Internet users in Bangladesh: broadly criminalising and imposing wholly disproportionate punitive measures for expression lawful under international law. New, a nd overbroad powers to block and remove online content without judicial oversight, are also of deep concern."

ARTICLE 19

IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 20

"CPJ respectfully urges you to exercise your constitutional authority to return the legislation to parliament for revisions that would eliminate these dangers."

"One of the most worrisome provisions of the Digital Security Act is an amendment added at the last minute in Section 43, which will allow police to arrest or search individuals without a warrant. In addition,the Digital Security Act includes problematic aspects of Section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology Act, despite public promises by government ministers to eliminate it."

"Bangladesh has a proud history as a secular democracy with strong affirma-tions of human rights and freedom of speech and the press.This legislation promises to damage that tradition, a nd to severely harm Bangladesh's standing among the community of democracies as a defend er of press freedom." THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT

JOURNALISTS

IN A LETTER TO PRESIDENT ABDUL HAMID

ON SEPTEMBER 22

"The bill if approved by parliament in the current form will have a serious,oppressive impact not only on journalists but also on all citizens of Bangladesh." INTERNATIONAL PRESS INSTITUTE (IPI) IN THE LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINA

ON AUGUST 10

"The act retained different aspects of section 57 of the ICT Act to curb freedom of expression."

"Section 32 of the Digital Security Act is contradictory to freedom of thoughts, freedom of expression,and freedom of the press guaranteed by the constitution." AIN OSALISH KENDRA

IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 2D

"The Digital Security Act not only contradicts parts of the RTI Act, but also raises questions about the government's capacity to be consistent in law-making."

"The Digital Security Act creates wide opportunities to restrict the space for raising informed public opinions and ensuring transparency and accountability of public institutions, reducing corruption, and establishing good governance as outlined in the preamble of the RTI Act 2009."

"The Digital Security Act is clearly inconsistent with the fundamental constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression as per Article 39 of the Constitution and, therefore, undermines democracy and human rights, which are among the fundamental principles of state policy." THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION FORUM, A COALITION OF MORE THAN 45 ORGANISATIONS, IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 24

"Sections 8,28,29 and 31 of the act can be misused to harass citizens, gag the press and repress freedom of expression."

"According to the provision of the newly passed Digital Security Act-2018, police can search, seize and arrest anyone without warrant. Therefore, we apprehend, police can harass general citizens abusing the law." SHUSHASHONERJONNO NAGORIK IN A STATEMENT ON SEPTEMBER 22

"The new law is detrimental to the evolution of Bangladesh as a free, matured and modern democratic society." TWENTY-FOUR PROFESSIONALS

AND ACADEMICS

FROM BANGLADESHI

DIASPORA IN A STATEMENT

ON OCTOBER 6