Bangladesh Government Proposes Cyber Law Changes to Combat Online Rumours

The government is considering amendments to the national cyber security framework to bring individuals who spread digital rumours, propaganda, and misinformation on social media platforms within the purview of the Cyber Protection Act. Fakir Mahbub Anam, the Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, announced the legislative considerations during a parliamentary session on Wednesday. He emphasized that the state has initiated a combination of legal, technical, and institutional measures to curb the proliferation of disinformation executed through anonymous or fake digital profiles.

The policy disclosure came during a question-and-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Minister Anam was responding to a query tabled by Member of Parliament Md Shahadat Hossain Selim, representing the Lakshmipur-1 constituency.

Monitoring Digital Platforms and Tech Deficits

According to the ministerial statement, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) maintains active communication channels with major multinational digital conglomerates—including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok—to ensure the prompt removal of harmful, fraudulent, and malicious content. Concurrently, law enforcement agencies are upgrading their technical capabilities to trace anonymous users, investigate cybercrimes, and track down those orchestrating online defamation campaigns. The Minister asserted that the administration remains committed to refining regulatory architectures and promoting public awareness to foster a responsible digital environment and prevent yellow journalism.

However, answering a separate query from Md Golam Rosul, the MP for Jessore-4, the Minister admitted that the regulatory body faces significant infrastructural challenges. The BTRC issues operational directives to digital platforms, content hosts, and telecom operators to block or remove offensive data only upon receiving formal requests from the National Cyber Security Agency, intelligence units, or law enforcement bodies. Critically, Minister Anam revealed that the BTRC does not currently possess independent technical equipment to execute these sweeps or intercept online content autonomously.

Secure Banking and Institutional Assets

To combat the escalating threat of mobile banking fraud, the BTRC is working in tandem with Bangladesh Bank to purchase modern data-verification hardware. This equipment will allow authorities to cross-match and verify the registration information of Mobile Financial Services (MFS) subscribers. Furthermore, the ministry has launched a pilot scheme to test facial-recognition verification systems during the mobile SIM card registration process, aiming to block the loopholes exploited by digital fraudsters.

The parliamentary session also shed light on other critical state enterprises under the ministry’s jurisdiction. Answering a query from Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin, representing Dhaka-19, the Minister stated that the current landline telephone subscriber base of the state-run Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) stands at approximately 340,000.

Additionally, responding to a question from Cumilla-4 representative Md Abul Hasnat, the Minister shared the audited accounts of the country’s space asset, Bangladesh Satellite-1. From the financial year 2020-21 to 2024-25, the commercial exploitation of the satellite generated a total revenue of 764.10 crore Taka, translating to a cumulative net profit of 163.97 crore Taka. Because the statistical parameters presented across these distinct corporate portfolios contain fewer than ten independent data rows, they have been compiled directly within the journalistic record rather than separate tabular sheets.