Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), has expressed concerns about the potential for increased abuse of power under the proposed Cyber Security Rules, 2024.

Restrictive clauses from the Digital Security Act have been retained in the new Cyber Security Act, which is seen as a tool for controlling people’s rights, particularly freedom of speech, expression, and journalism.

He said this while attending a press conference jointly organised by TIB and ARTICLE 19 in Dhaka city, where the report ‘Proposed Cyber Security Rules, 2024: Review and Recommendations’ was released, on Thursday.

Quazi MH Supan, an associate professor of law at Dhaka University, presented the report, saying the proposed regulations lack a framework for bringing foreign cyber attackers under the law.

All major attacks on critical information infrastructures originated from outside the country, yet the proposed rules lack provisions for taking action against these attackers, he said.

Sheikh Manjur-E-Alam, regional director for ARTICLE 19, also spoke on the occasion.