Dhaka, March 29,  (V7N) — The Bangladesh government has dismissed 410 cases filed under cyber laws between 2019 and 2024, a move officials say is aimed at protecting freedom of speech.

The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs confirmed the case withdrawals in a recent update on its website. The scrapped cases were spread across the country’s eight divisions, with the highest numbers in Chittagong (130), Sylhet (103), and Khulna (53), while Dhaka saw 21 cases dismissed.

Professor Dr. Asif Nazrul, legal adviser to the interim government, said cases related to "speech offenses" were being withdrawn as part of broader reforms.

“The government is committed to ensuring that no one faces legal action simply for expressing their opinion,” Nazrul stated. He also confirmed that individuals currently detained under these cases would be released through legal proceedings.

Despite the recent dismissals, thousands of cases remain in Bangladesh’s cyber tribunals. As of August 2024, a staggering 5,818 cases were still pending under various cyber laws, including the Information and Communication Technology Act (2006), the Digital Security Act (2018), and the Cyber Security Act (2023).

Additionally, 1,340 ongoing cases are linked to alleged "speech offenses." Among them, 279 were filed under the ICT Act, 786 under the Digital Security Act, and 275 under the Cyber Security Act.

Authorities say 461 cases remain under investigation, while 879 are still being tried in cyber tribunals.

Critics have long argued that sections of Bangladesh’s cyber laws restrict free speech and independent journalism. Protests against these regulations intensified in recent years, but the previous Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina, refused to amend them.

The situation changed dramatically last year when a mass student uprising forced Hasina’s government to step down. On August 5, 2024, she fled to India, paving the way for an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who took office three days later.

Since then, the interim government has pledged to restore democratic rights and free speech. The mass withdrawal of cyber cases appears to be a step in that direction.

END/MSS/RH