The much-talked-about bill, titled ‘Information and Communication Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2013’, seeking harsher punishment for the misuse of information technology was placed in Parliament on Thursday.
Information and Communication Technology Minister Mostafa Faruque Mohammad tabled the bill in the House that was sent to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committee for further scrutiny.
The committee was asked to submit its report within seven days.
On August 20, the President promulgated an ordinance amending the ‘ICT Act, 2006’ with a provision of harsher punishment as Parliament was not in session at that time, triggering widespread criticisms by the civil society.
This ordinance was placed in Parliament on the first day of its current session.
According to the rules, this ordinance has to be passed in Parliament within 30 days in the form of a bill.
In the proposed bill, the jail term for the misuse of ICT has been fixed at maximum seven years and maximum 14 years. It was 10 years maximum in the ‘ICT Act, 2006’.
Besides, the police have been given the authority to arrest anyone without arrest warrant. In the proposed bill some offences have even been made non-bail able ones.
The proposed bill also says permission will not be required from the Home Ministry to file any case against such offender, which was mandatory in the previous law.
Source: UNBConnect
