Draft Data Protection Act: Media personnel get 10 days to give their opinion

The government has fixed 10 days from August 11 to 20 for the media personnel to give their opinion regarding the draft Data Protection Act, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Wednesday.

He was speaking at a meeting on the recommendations and opinions of media personnel regarding the draft ‘Data Protection Act 2022’ at the Bangladesh Computer Council in Dhaka.

This law will be enacted to ensure the freedom and protection of citizens' information, he said adding due to this law the data cannot be used by any foreigner.

The state minister also said an initiative has been taken to enact the law so that third parties can’t get any data without the consent of individuals or organisations.

“Data is the next wealth,” said Palak, adding that those who can properly store and manage this digital data will be a very wealthy nation, he added.

Editors Guild Bangladesh’s President and Ekattor Television Managing Director Mozammel Babu and former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul among others gave their views on the draft law.

Another view-exchanging meeting on the draft of the law will be held with representatives of data scientists and multinational companies.