Bangladesh's 'death squad' security agency to scan social media

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was formed in 2004 to battle growing Islamism in Bangladesh. It initially managed to arrest or kill some top terrorists. But it did not take long for RAB's good reputation to be tarnished as it slowly became a symbol of fear. It's now seen as an all-powerful "death squad" unit that acts on the fringes of the law and imposes its own brand of justice.

The South Asian nation's government has been planning to spend about 1.21 billion Bangladeshi taka (€12 million, $13.9 million) on the monitoring project, according to DW's local media partner bdnews24.com. The project will allow RAB to monitor activities like anti-state propaganda, rumors and provocations on Facebook, YouTube, Viber as well as other means of communication on the internet.

Tasneem Khalil, a Swedish-Bangladeshi journalist, reminds that RAB has already been used for detaining government critics for their comments on Facebook. "Now such cases will multiply," he said, adding: ''International actors, especially the EU, must take concrete action and sanction this force, which is a tool for curtailing freedoms and liberties of ordinary citizens in the country."

The Bangladeshi government has recently come up with a new law, the Digital Security Act, which contains provisions mandating long prison sentences of up to seven years or harsh fines for any statement posted online that might disrupt the law and order situation, hurt religious feelings or ruin communal harmony. Experts consider the law as part of a broader campaign to silence government critics.

In a rare move, prominent newspaper editors of the Muslim-majority country on Monday formed a human chain in front of the national press club in the capital Dhaka demanding amendments to nine sections of the Digital Security Act. They say these sections pose a threat to independent journalism and the freedom of expression. But the government has yet to respond to those demands.

A journalist could be convicted of espionage for entering a government office and gathering information secretly using any electronic device, an offense that would carry a 14-year jail sentence, according to the new law. Mahfuz Anam, a prominent editor, said, "This law will not only deal with cybercrimes but also gag the independent media."

Despite global condemnation, Bangladesh, which ranked 146th among 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index 2018, has kept prominent activist Shahidul Alam behind bars. He was arrested in August following his criticism of the government for using excessive force against peaceful student protesters. Activists view his arrest as a sign of the government's harsh treatment of its critics.