Staff correspondent :

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP is committing digital crimes through their ‘paid agents’ and spreading propaganda taking advantage of digitalization accomplished by the present government.

“The present government has made the internet accessible for all by building ‘Digital Bangladesh’. And BNP is committing crimes and spreading propaganda through ‘paid agents’ taking the advantage of digitalization. It is not appropriate at all,” he said.

The minister said this replying to a query from reporters after addressing a view exchange meeting with the newly elected executive committee members of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the meeting room of the ministry at the secretariat.

Criticising a comment of the BNP secretary general as he alleged that the government is using “internet shutdown” as a weapon to suppress the movement of the opposition, Dr Hasan urged the BNP leader to look back. About 50 lakh people used the internet during their (BNP) regime. But now, about 13 crore people are using the internet, he added.

He said the incumbent government has given the accessibility to the internet. The AL government doesn’t control the internet in any way, rather BNP is spreading rumour and defaming the ministers and government party leaders through ‘paid agents’ at home and abroad, he noted.

He said the issue of employing ‘paid agent’ has already been proved and some audio clips were leaked where the agents have expressed their dissatisfaction as they didn’t get the exact money they demanded.

He said the government has photographs of meetings between Tarique Rahman and paid agents and it has been possible for accessibility of internet. But it is not appropriate and those are digital crimes, he said.

He said there are different acts to control digital crimes across the world. The European Union recently passed an act that every social platform must be registered in every respective country of the EU. The act has been passed in India too, he said.

But the information minister said, such an act has not been passed in Bangladesh.

They are requested to register their respective social media platforms here, he added.

Dr Hasan said social media platforms have been blocked and steps have been taken in many countries from time to time.

In fact, he said, Mirza Fakhrul Islam should extend thanks to the government as he makes conversation with his daughter and even did video conference meetings by using digital technology. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has provided these facilities, he continued.

Criticising another comments of BNP leaders, the information minister said, “We want the BNP to take part in the next election with their full strength. We don’t want to stop anyone from voting. We want the BNP to join the poll which will be held as per the constitution.”

He said, through the speech of the BNP secretary general, it seems that the party wants to take part in the poll. But they could not take any decision due to ‘invisible leadership’.

Dr Hasan urged the BNP to take the party to masses instead of ‘invisible leadership’.

In the meeting, the minister extended congratulations to the newly elected BSRF members.

BSRF president Fasih Uddin Mahtab and general secretary Masudul Haque, among others, addressed the meeting. BSRF vice president Munna Raihan, joint general secretary Mehedi Azad Masum, organizing secretary Tawhidul Islam, Treasurer Shafiullah Sumon, office secretary Shahdat Hossain, Publicity Secretary Bijan Kumar Das, Training Secretary Faruque Alam, members Jhorana Roy, Asad Al Mahmud, Obaidullah Badal, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Ibrahim Mahmud Akash, Rakib Hasan and Mohsinul Karim Lebu, among others, greeted the minister with bouquet.

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