Govt using Digital Security Act to hide scams: BNP

BNP on Wednesday (July 8) alleged that the government is using the Digital Security Act against dissidents to hush up its graft and scams.

“There has been a case filing spree under the Digital Security Act to silence people. This act is being used indiscriminately against the free-thinkers so that people can’t know about many massive scandals and graft incidents,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Stating that opposing the government does not mean to oppose the state, he said people are being implicated in treason cases for speaking against the current 'regime'. “So, we think the use of a Draconian law like the Digital Security Act against innocent people is a serious injustice and sin.”

The BNP leader came up with the remarks at a virtual press briefing at their party’s Nayapaltan central office.

He said around 200 people, including university teachers, doctors, students and women, were arrested over the past three months only for criticising the government over its failure to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. “Even, a 10th grader teenage student of Bhaluka was detained.”

The BNP leader said the government is presenting various conspiracy theories before people for using the Digital Security Act.

He said the government has stanched people’s freedom of expression and independence ‘abusing’ the state power and enacting various ‘black’ laws. “The government is taking revenge on people.”

He said it is the old tradition of Awami League that the party cannot tolerate multiparty democracy. “It also has a tradition to establish partisan rule through various tricks suppressing opposition parties and dissidents.”