Quader Warns of Action on Abuse of Digital Security Act

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday warned that the government will take action against those who misuse the Digital Security Act for political benefit during the coronavirus crisis.

Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the Awami League, also said that while people reserve the right to report any irregularity in relief operations, 'twisting' the facts and use it for political propaganda is tantamount and an offence.

The AL leader told this in a media briefing on Sunday.

"One may disagree with the government's initiative. The government led by Sheikh Hasina is still mindful of the civil freedoms of all people. But it can not help the dissemination of misinformation and misunderstanding among the public without testing the validity of the facts, "said Quader.

“We've said repeatedly that we need to maintain a united front during this crisis to tackle it. We also reiterated that the Digital Security Act must not be abused. The home ministry is alert to the issue and will take action against the abuse of the law,” he added.

The Secretary-General of the Awami League also swipeed his BNP counterpart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir over his criticism of the government's treatment of the coronavirus issue.

"He's attempting to create doubt to the people. It's part of the BNP's cynical plan to advance their electoral agenda," Quader said.

Aside from the government's relief work, the Awami League, on its own initiative, has distributed food items and cash to 10 million families in the country in line with the prime minister's orders, he added.

According to Quader, the government is also working closely with its embassies and missions abroad to ensure that the required measures are taken to minimize the suffering of 12 million Bangladeshi refugees around the world during the pandemic.