The government is set to amend the Cyber Security Act to curb rumours, misinformation, defamatory content and misleading material generated using artificial intelligence on social media platforms, home minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Jatiya Sangsad on Monday.
He said provisions would also be introduced to compel international technology platforms, including Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to remove harmful content within a specified timeframe.
The minister made the remarks while responding to a discussion under Rule 71 on an issue of urgent public importance raised by reserved-seat lawmaker Helen Zerin Khan during the second session of the 13th JS, chaired by deputy speaker Kayser Kamal.
Helen Zerin Khan drew attention in JS to the spread of fake IDs, bot networks, AI-generated fake content, online harassment of women and children, and organised disinformation campaigns targeting political figures.
She said numerous accounts and pages on platforms such as Facebook were operating under false identities, while coordinated bot networks were being used to manipulate public opinion.
She also warned that AI-generated images, videos and audio clips were being used to spread false and defamatory narratives against individuals, institutions, political parties and the state.
In response, the home minister said misleading content was being circulated on social media targeting senior political leaders, including the head of government and members of his family.
‘Content is being circulated in the name of freedom of expression, but it is necessary to redefine what actually constitutes freedom of expression,’ he said.
Salahuddin said that the definition of cyberspace was being revised, and all related platforms, including social media and virtual media, would be brought under a clearer legal framework.
The minister said a revised Cyber Security Act, 2026, was being prepared, with updated definitions of rumours, misinformation and defamatory content, alongside new penalties for their dissemination.
He said the government was also considering mechanisms to ensure faster removal of harmful content and stronger coordination with international platforms.
Referring to Meta, Salahuddin said Bangladesh currently lacks legal provisions to compel the company to remove content within a fixed timeframe.
‘In neighbouring countries, legal provisions exist that require Meta to act within 24 hours. But our BTRC and cyber laws do not yet have such provisions,’ he said.
The minister said that while requests were sent to Meta through the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, responses were often delayed.
‘They say your legal framework is not strong enough, so they are not bound to act quickly,’ Salahuddin said.
The proposed amendments, he said, would introduce time-bound content removal mechanisms and strengthen accountability for global tech platforms, alongside empowering relevant authorities, including law enforcement agencies, cyber security bodies and the BTRC, to remove, block or restrict harmful content.
The minister also said the government was working on a new law to combat online and offline gambling, replacing colonial-era legislation dating back to 1867.
He said that the draft Gambling Prevention Act was in its final stage and expected to be tabled in the current parliamentary session.
Amendments to the Narcotics Control Act were also underway, the minister said, noting that enforcement agencies currently lacked adequate weapons, training, laboratories and dog squads to effectively tackle drug trafficking networks.
He said the Narcotics Control Department would be strengthened and restructured into a more self-sufficient organisation under the proposed legal reforms.
Editor: Nurul Kabir, Published by the Chairman, Editorial Board ASM Shahidullah Khan on behalf of Media New Age Ltd.
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