STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Digital Security Act is being “transformed” and “modernised” and will now be named the Cyber Security Act, in which sections of the existing law will be amended.

The government did not pay heed to the demands by civil society members and others to repeal the DSA and draft a new law in its stead.

The draft law was approved in principle at a cabinet meeting yesterday, and will now be sent to parliament. It is expected to be passed in September.

Section 25, which criminalises the publication of “false”, “offensive” or “threatening” information, still carries a jail term, albeit reduced by a year to two years.

However, defamation, as criminalised by section 29 of the law, will no longer carry jail time.

“If the fine imposed is not paid, there will of course be jail time of three or six months, depending on the fine. But the main penalty will be a fine,” Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

Some offences that were previously non-bailable are now eligible for bail, including section 31, which is deterioration of law and order, section 32, which criminalises the breaching of government secrecy, and section 28, which criminalises the hurting of religious sentiment.

Four other sections that were previously non-bailable have also now been made eligible for bail.

The jail term for hurting religious sentiments will be reduced from five years to two, as per the new changes.

Offences like hurting the image of the country, its national flag, Father of the Nation and the spirit of the Liberation War are still criminalised by this law, but the jail terms have been reduced from 10 years to seven, according to a copy of the changes received by this newspaper.

These, however, continue to be non-bailable offences.

SEE PAGE 2 COL 1