DHAKA, June 30 (v7n): The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) has passed two major pieces of legislation—The Cyber Security (amendment) Bill, 2026 and The Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026—designed to modernize Bangladesh's legal frameworks against digital crimes, deepfakes, and cross-border financial offenses. Both bills were passed unanimously via voice votes during the ongoing budget session of the 13th parliament, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir-Bikram.

Prior to their passage, opposition lawmakers from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and independent MPs moved motions to send both bills to review committees for public opinion evaluation. These review motions were subsequently rejected by voice votes on the parliament floor. Following the legislative approvals, the Speaker adjourned the parliamentary session until 3:00 PM on July 7.

The Cyber Security (amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced by Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam. The legislation specifically targets the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools used to engineer targeted misinformation and defamatory content.

  • Enforced Takedown Windows: Under the newly amended law, global tech platforms, including Meta, are legally required to remove disputed, defamatory, or harmful AI-generated media within a strict, designated timeframe.

  • Regional Legal Alignment: The Minister noted that neighboring countries already enforce 24-hour content removal mandates on platforms like Meta, a critical enforcement mechanism that Bangladesh's prior laws entirely lacked.

  • Enhanced Surveillance Powers: The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and other state-authorized law enforcement agencies are now legally empowered to block malicious online feeds and directly demand user data from international tech companies.

The Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, moved by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, completely updates the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867, which authorities declared obsolete against modern smartphone-enabled betting syndicates.

The new statute introduces explicit definitions and criminal penalties for emerging digital crimes, including virtual wagering, remote bookmaking, digital asset wallets, and cross-border betting networks. For the first time, the law also separates and explicitly criminalizes sports-centric manipulation, including match-fixing and spot-fixing, to preserve the integrity of professional athletics.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed warned that online gambling has escalated far beyond a simple social issue, morphing into a complex vector for international money laundering and cyber espionage. "Many of these digital platforms function across borders using mobile financial services to siphon funds while illicitly harvesting sensitive user data," the Minister noted, emphasizing that rigid enforcement of the modernized act is now a critical matter of national security.

end/aj/rh/