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Bangladesh Enacts New Law That Could Silence Dissenters

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The Pulse

Bangladesh Enacts New Law That Could Silence Dissenters

The Digital Security Bill is quickly signed into law, despite criticisms from media groups.

Bangladesh Enacts New Law That Could Silence Dissenters

A Bangladeshi man takes photo of newspapers pasted on a wall at an alley in Dhaka, Bangladesh (May 11, 2016.)

Credit: AP photo

Despite protests from different quarters, especially journalists, Bangladesh on Monday turned its much debated Digital Security Bill into an act with the president’s signature.

On September 19, the parliament of Bangladesh passed the bill unanimously. Soon after, the Editors Council of Bangladesh — a platform for the editors of the national dailies — sat with the top ministers on September 29 demanding some sections of the Bill be changed before President Abdul Hamid signed it into an act.

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