The High Court has constituted a committee for getting recommendations on what steps can be taken to control the dissemination of defamatory content through all social media, including Facebook.
Posts and Telecommunication Division Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs Secretary of the Law Ministry, Information and Broadcasting Secretary, Internal Resource Division Secretary of the Finance Ministry, Foreign Secretary, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman, a representative from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), a representative from the Bangladesh Bank, a representative from the Bangladesh Newspaper Owners’ Association (NOAB) and a representative from the Television Channels have been included in the committee, said the concerned lawyers.
The committee will have to submit a report on their recommendations in this regard in court within 30 days.
The HC also issued a rule upon the concerned bodies of the government to explain in four weeks as to why the inaction of the government in controlling Facebook shall not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Arif Hasan, Managing Director of the Desh TV on Thursday.
Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Kahn appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar represented the state.
Later Mr Mustafizur Rahman said the High Court has constituted a committee and issued a rule asking the government bodies to explain as to why the inaction of them in controlling the defamatory contents on Facebook shall not be declared illegal.
At the same time, the court asked the respondents to dispose of a petition placed for controlling the defamatory content on Facebook by the writ petitioner in 15 days and to submit a report with it, added the lawyer.
