Surveillance: Civil society calls for publication of white paper

Civil society groups have called for the publication of a white paper detailing the software and technology employed in recent years to suppress dissent and curtail civil rights in the country.
The demand was voiced during a dialogue organised by Civil Reform Group Bangladesh 2.0 at BASIS auditorium in Dhaka.
During the event, speakers highlighted that over the past decade, thousands of crores of taka have been spent on acquiring advanced software and technology from Israel and other countries.
They asserted that citizens have the right to know what these technologies are and how they are being utilised.
They said although these costly technologies were ostensibly procured for national security purposes, they have been predominantly used for political motives and to stifle dissent.
The dialogue on “Surveillance, the Right to Privacy, and Freedom of Speech,” moderated by former BASIS President Fahim Mashroor, brought together politicians, lawyers, human rights activists, journalists, and IT experts.
The speakers condemned these actions as wholly illegal and a blatant violation of human rights.
Mashroor said the interim government should publish a white paper detailing the surveillance activities of the past government.
He said there are four human rights activists in the current cabinet and all of them have been victims of privacy intrusion and harassment by authoritarian govt. They should understand the importance of the issue.
“We don’t want the next political government to use the same tools and technology to oppress opponents. We need full transparency of how govt agencies keep eyes on us and for what purpose. If surveillance is required for national security, there needs to be defined rules. It cannot be dependent on individual whim,” he said.
Iftekharuzzaman, executive director at Transparency International Bangladesh, said the surveillance-based state structure has been established primarily to maintain power.
He said surveillance has been used as a tool to suppress dissent and retain control.
There is no need for organisations like the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) and the Department of Telecommunications.
He warned that if those currently in power, or those who come to power in the future, do not break away from this culture of holding onto power, the same practices will continue. He called for a complete overhaul of the surveillance system.
Sara Hossain, honorary executive director at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, said even during the interim government, irrelevant and unsubstantiated cases, along with statements from various defendants under remand, were frequently publicised in the media, raising serious ethical concerns.
She said a need for a discussion on how the process and procedure of surveillance should be handled, emphasising that it is important to consider international standards in this matter.