The Information & Communication Technology Act
Bangladesh passed the Information and Communication Technology Act (ICT Act) in 2006. This act gave the government the ability to regulate various methods of electronic communication including the Internet.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
In 2002, the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology developed the National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy. The policy sought to ensure access to information through technology by 2006. Because the 2002 act made provisions only through 2006, the ministry created a revised act in 2006.
Controversy
-
The ICT Act of 2006 gained attention because of a weeklong government ban of the social networking site Facebook in May 2010. The government ban stemmed from provisions in the act. A law student at Dhaka University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, filed a petition with the government's High Council on June 6, 2010, arguing that the ICT Act was unconstitutional in banning access to Facebook.
-
Sections Under Scrutiny
-
Under Section 46 of the act, the government may block any website based on "the prevention of incitement to any offense under the act." These offenses include integrity, the security of the state, safety and public order. Section 57, also challenged, bans websites that encourage immorality.
-
References
- Photo Credit law courts image by Peter Helin from Fotolia.com
