Prothom Alo
A report was published in Prothom Alo, citing Israeli newspaper Haaretz, that Israel would not sell its phone-hacking technology to Bangladesh. It reveals two bitter truths and that a matter of concern for citizens. Firstly, it proved the government has used phone tapping technology to collect data on citizens. Secondly, Israeli firm Cellebrite has decided to stop selling the phone-hacking technology because its hardware was used by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) that is accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances. They have also chosen not to do business in Belarus, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Russia and Venezuela.
According to the Prothom Alo report, RAB officials visited Singapore in 2018 and 2019 to receive training on Cellebrite technology. There is an allegation that surveillance technology has been purchased from not only from Singapore firm but also from the firm based in Hungary.
The constitution of Bangladesh ensures the freedom of citizens in addition to the protection of individual privacy. Yet, telephone conversation of people from various professions including politicians, especially the opposition politicians, and journalists, are often being leaked in the country. And, it’s not possible for anyone to do so without the help of the state agencies. In this case, national security concern is made an excuse and it mainly used against political opponents and dissidents. Western countries require courts’ persimmon to do so but no one bothers about all that in our country. A field level official of the law enforcement agencies decides on whose phone would be tapped or not. Apart from political reasons, telephone conversation has been leaked to gain personal and collective interests.
Spying on citizens can’t continue in any democratic state. Bangladesh claims to be a democratic state. So, why would the country consider its citizens to be enemies and tap their phones in the name of surveillance? The culture of spying on citizens must stop.
