The ICT Division on Monday declared 29 organisations as ‘critical information infrastructure’ under the Digital Security Act for the safety of sensitive data under which any illegal access to computers, digital devices or networks is a punishable offence.
‘Critical information infrastructure’ in the controversial Act means any external or virtual information infrastructure declared by the government that controls, processes, circulates or preserves any information-data or electronic information and, if damaged or critically affected, may adversely affect public safety or financial security or public health and national security or national integrity or sovereignty.
Section 15 of the Digital Security Act authorizes the government to declare any computer system, network or information infrastructure as ‘critical information infrastructure”.
The law states anyone causing or trying to cause damage to a critical information structure or render it inactive intentionally through illegal access will be doing an offence.
It defines illegal access as “making or abetting to make illegal access to any computer, computer system or computer network” and “making or abetting to make illegal access with intent to commit an offence”.
Such an offence will be punished with imprisonment for a maximum term of seven years, or a fine not exceeding Tk 2.5 million, or both.
Accessing the systems illegally with the intent of harming it will carry a prison term for a maximum of 14 years, or a fine not exceeding Tk 10 million, or both.
A second or further attempt to breach the system illegally will be met with imprisonment for life, or fine not exceeding Tk 50 million, or both.
Journalists’ groups, human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have criticised the Digital Security Act and said it would stifle freedom of expression, but the government says it is needed to protect people’s privacy and sensitive data that matters to the country.
In a notice issued by the ICT Division on Monday listed the following organisations under the ‘critical information infrastructure’.
President’s office
Prime Minister’s Office
National Board of Revenue
Bangladesh Data Center Company Ltd
Bridges Division
Department of Immigration and Passports
National Data Center of Bangladesh Computer Council
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
National Identity Registration Wing of Election Commission Secretariat
Central Procurement Technical Unit
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Establishment Project
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Immigration Police
Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd
Bangladesh Water Development Board
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh
Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd
Bangabandhu Satellite Company Ltd
Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh
Birth and Death Registration unit of the Office of the Registrar General
Bangladesh Bank
Sonali Bank
Agrani Bank
Janata Bank
Rupali Bank
Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission
Dhaka Stock Exchange
Chattogram Stock Exchange
Source: United News of Bangladesh
476 people killed in 407 road accidents in September: Road Safety Foundation
As many as 476 people, including 77 children, were killed and 794 were injured in 407 road accidents across the country in September.
Besides, 169 lives were lost in 182 motorcycle accidents, which is 35.50% of the total deaths, the Road Safety Foundation said in its latest report, released on Monday.
Also, 103 pedestrians and 63 drivers and their assistants were killed during this period.
Accidents on waterways claimed at least 78 lives while three people went missing in nine river accidents and 19 were killed and six injured in train accidents across Bangladesh last month.
Road Safety Foundation based its findings on the reports of nine national dailies, seven online news portals and electronic media.
Of the total accidents, 234 accidents occurred on the national highways, 158 on regional roads, 73 on rural roads, 36 on city roads and six in other places, said the report.
The RSF pointed out several major reasons behind the rise in the number of road accidents.
The reasons include – faulty vehicles; reckless driving; desperate mentality, incompetence and illness of drivers; unsettled wages and working hours; prevalence of low-speed traffic on highways; reckless motorcycling by the youth; the tendency of flouting traffic rules, poor management of traffic; lack of efficiency of the BRTA; and extortion in the sector.
The RSF urged the authorities concerned to take necessary initiative to address the issues.
Source: United News of Bangladesh