Cybersecurity law won’t curb media freedom: Partha

Information and Broadcasting Minister Barrister Andaleev Rahman Partha has assured that the proposed Cybersecurity (Amendment) Act 2026 will contain no provision designed to silence the media, curtail press freedom or suppress legitimate expression.

Speaking at a consultation with media representatives at the Secretariat on Thursday, Partha said the draft remained at an early stage and was being scrutinised meticulously in order to forestall the exploitation of ambiguous provisions, a phenomenon he alleged had occurred under previous legislation, including the Digital Security Act. The law, he added, aims to curb abusive and harmful online content while simultaneously safeguarding journalism, freedom of expression and fundamental rights--objectives that, he acknowledged, must be reconciled with considerable care.

Posts, Telecom and ICT Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, for his part, said the government also intends to address harmful content, cyberbullying, deepfakes and AI-enabled online crimes, all without restricting professional journalism or investigative reporting. Moreover, the government plans to raise public awareness surrounding the verification of information prior to its dissemination online, while a further consultation with media stakeholders has been scheduled for September 28 to refine the draft still further.

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Given the fraught legacy of the Digital Security Act, whose broad and frequently misapplied provisions drew sustained criticism from journalists and rights groups alike, the government's assurances will likely be met with cautious scepticism until the finalised text itself demonstrates that legitimate expression has indeed been insulated from prosecutorial overreach.