The Cabinet on Monday, August 28 approved the draft of Cyber Security Law-2023 after amending few provisions of the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The approval came from the Cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister’s office in city’s Tejgaon with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Earlier, on August 7, the cabinet decided to redraft the Digital Security Act (DSA), annulling some stringent provisions like jail terms on defamation charges, and renaming the law as Cyber Security Act.
About the meeting, Law Minister Anisul Huq said there is no non-bailable section in the draft of Cyber Security Act except for the technical section.
While briefing journalist at the Secretariat in the afternoon after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said, “In the draft law, the offenses under four sections : 17, 19, 27 and 33, have been made non-bailable.” Replying to a query, he said the trial procedure of the ongoing cases filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) will be run following the same law.
The cabinet secretary further said that the meeting also gave final approval to the draft of ‘Jatiya Sangsad (Women’s Reserved Seat) Election (Amendment) Act, 2023. In the proposed law, the amount of security deposit for contesting in women’s reserved seats of the Jatiya Sangsad has been increased to Taka 20,000 from the existing Taka 10,000.
He mentioned that the amount of security deposit for contesting in general seats of the JS is also Taka 20,000. The draft law also proposed to hold by-polls to women’s reserved seats, if any of the seats becomes vacant, within 90 days like the general seats, which was earlier 45 days.
The cabinet secretary pointed out that the cabinet gave the final approval to the proposed ‘Land Reforms Act, 2023’, keeping a provision that no one can own more than 60 bigha of agricultural land. The law, however, will remain flexible for establishments, which will cultivate tea, coffee and rubber gardening through cooperative societies, as well as manufacturing activities in industrial establishments or factories and export oriented industries.
He also said that the cabinet meeting also approved the draft of ‘Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act, 2023’, increasing the amount of fine to Taka one lakh or one month imprisonment or both from the existing penalty of fining Taka 20,000 for violating the law. In addition, the meeting also gave final approval to the proposed ‘Trade Organization (Amendment) Act, 2023′, Dr M A Wazed Miah Agricultural University Act, 2023’, ‘New Development Bank Act, 2023’, ‘National Disability Development Foundation Act, 2023’ and ‘Bangladesh Patent Act, 2023.
The cabinet secretary added that the proposed laws, which have been approved in the cabinet meeting, will be placed in the next session of the JS. Apart from giving approval to the proposed laws, the meeting discussed the national pension scheme, which drawn huge response from the country’s people as more than one lakh registration are in under process.
Describing that propaganda is being spread centering the national pension scheme, the cabinet secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the authorities concerned to remain alert so that the propagandists could not mislead the people.
