Government Highly Conscious of Citizens’ Freedom of Speech and Personal Security: Home Minister

Home Minister Mr. Salahuddin Ahmed met with an International Republican Institute (IRI) delegation led by Resident Program Director Mr. John Fluharty at the Secretariat on Sunday afternoon, September 13. Discussions focused heavily on crime prevention, online bullying, youth political leadership, and the proposed Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026. Key officials, including Additional Secretary Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed and Joint Secretary Ms. Rebeka Khan, also attended the high-level meeting.

Expressing deep concern during the talks, Mr. John Fluharty stated that youth and political activists in Bangladesh are currently facing severe harassment and defamation due to cyberbullying and organized disinformation. He called for a consensus-based policy and robust legal protection for members of both ruling and opposition parties to counter these digital threats effectively.

Reassuring the delegation, Home Minister Mr. Salahuddin Ahmed emphasized that the government is highly conscious of safeguarding citizens’ freedom of speech and personal security. Highlighting constitutional provisions, he noted, ‘Under Article 39 of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of expression and constructive criticism, subject to reasonable restrictions,’ while firmly adding that ‘constructive criticism is not synonymous with character assassination for political purposes’.

Detailing legislative updates, the Home Minister shared that extensive feedback has been gathered over the past two months from civil society, senior editors, and the international community to refine the upcoming cyber law. He affirmed that the primary objective of the legislation is to restore digital decency, protect women and youth from cyberbullying, and ensure professional safety for journalists to prevent any misuse of state authority.