Legal action against ‘false, confusing,’ social media posts about govt, law enforcers: home ministry

The Ministry of Home Affairs today issued a statement forbidding citizens, both at home and abroad, from spreading “false, fabricated, confusing, and inciting statements about the government, military officials, police officers, and members of different law enforcing agencies” on social media.

Experts, however, have called the directive “illegal”.

The curb on the general public follows a string of similar ones against nurses, health officials, public officials, students and teachers.

“They are presenting false and baseless news about the security forces, which is threatening to ruin the peace in the country, and spreading fear, concern and confusion among the general public,” the statement signed by Md Sharif Mahmud Apu, senior information officer of the home ministry, said.

“The government has observed the activities of such people with patience, and has come to the conclusion that it is necessary to take legal action against such people to maintain the stability, domestic security and public well-being,” added the statement.

Anyone not heeding to the statement will face legal consequences according to the laws of the country, the statement concluded.

Eminent human rights lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua said, “They do not have the option of dictating what the general public will write on their social media. “We get to criticise them because it is our right. There is no law against criticising. This circular can be called illegal.”

On April 16, when reports emerged about lack of preparation of the health sector, the government banned all nurses from speaking to the media. The directive came from the Department of Nursing and Midwifery.

On April 23, Health Minister Zahid Maleque ordered all health officials not to talk to the media.

The next day, the public administration ministry asked all secretaries to give necessary instructions to their subordinates so that no public servant talks to or writes on media without approval.

In the letter, the ministry said some public servants, violating section 22 of the civil service conduct rules, are taking part in talk shows, discussions and news on different media including Betar, Bangladesh Television, private TV channels, without permission from their department chiefs.

It said they were also commenting or giving opinions and writing articles or letters in newspapers and online portals without approval, going beyond their jurisdiction.

On many occasions, the comments or opinions were over government’s policy decisions, it said.

On May 3, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University issued similar curbs on their healthcare workers as well.

On October 7, the department of secondary and higher education issued a circular forbidding students and teachers from writing, sharing, liking, or posting anything that “ruins the image of the government or the state”, or “disrespects any important person, institution or profession” on social media.

They were also told to not post any writing, audio or video that could create “dissatisfaction among the general public”. The heads of institutions were asked to take action against any who did.   Daily Star