Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman Golam Mohammad Quader has said the Cyber Security Act has been framed to gag the mass media. Instead of news, televisions will air songs, dances, and dramas, but none will be able to present news.
According to him, democracy cannot survive if freedom of expression comes under interference. As per the Cyber Security Act, the government will be able to consider any news as the `crime of treason` and file cases under the draconian law which will subsequently make journalists victims.
He was speaking at a meeting of the professionals held at the auditorium of JaPa Chairman office at Banani in the capital early Thursday (September 21) afternoon.
GM Quader said self-censorship is now going on in the mass media. "No censorship will require in the days ahead, because the media will not be able to make any news. As a result, all the news channels will get closed."
Referring to lack of democratic atmosphere in Bangladesh, GM Quader said, "Democracy doesn`t exist in Bangladesh now. Even there is no atmosphere to practise democracy in the country. Bangladesh is now heading toward one-party rule. People`s freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of the mass media have been taken away through the Cyber Security Act."
The JaPa chairman said democracy doesn`t exist in a country if the people, as the owner of the republic, can`t criticise the government. "Criticism of the government is now being considered as an act of treason in Bangladesh. But, the state and government are not the same things. Democracy doesn`t exist in a country if the right to speak is stopped framing the law, or if an anti-government movement is obstructed."
Expressing profound concern about the upcoming general election, he said two sides have taken a firm position over the election issue. It has created concern of violence among people. Major incidents of clash or violence may take place in the country if the two major parties come face to face as they have become desperate to go to power.
Comment :