Posts and Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam. File photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, July 13, 2026 (BSS) - Posts and Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam today said the government is moving to amend the Cyber Security Act to strengthen coordination with international technology platforms for the removal of character-assassination content from social media.

He said the Prime Minister has constituted a five-member cabinet committee to examine the issue and the committee is expected to take a decision shortly.

The minister made the remarks while responding to a call attention notice on matters of public importance raised by treasury bench member Selina Sultana of Reserved Women’s Seat-35 in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS).

Today’s JS sitting presided over by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal.

Faqir Mahbub Anam said that international social media platforms, including YouTube and TikTok, generally cooperate in removing content that threatens national security, public order or religious sentiments. However, he noted that these platforms have been comparatively reluctant to remove content that defames or maligns individuals.

He said the government, through the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), has held several rounds of discussions with the concerned platforms, but the desired level of cooperation in removing defamatory content targeting individuals has yet to be achieved.

To address the issue, Anam said the government has taken initiatives to formulate time-bound content takedown agreements and related policy guidelines with international technology companies.

Highlighting emerging technological challenges, he said the rapid advancement of technology has led to an increase in the creation and dissemination of defamatory and misleading content using deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated or AI-edited images, videos and audio.

In view of this evolving reality, the minister said, the government has undertaken initiatives to make the Cyber Security Act more effective and up to date through necessary amendments.

According to the proposed amendments, AI-generated or AI-manipulated defamatory content will be explicitly recognised as an offence, penalties will be enhanced and a clear legal definition of defamation will be incorporated into the law.

He said the revised law would also bring within its ambit the dissemination of false, distorted or misleading information intended to deceive or harm individuals, institutions or the state, while making provisions for the prompt removal of rumours, misinformation and defamatory content more explicit.

Faqir Mahbub Anam also said the government has strengthened cyber security services by establishing cyber security help desks at district and upazila levels, forming “Teenage Cyber Crime Prevention Committees” and introducing a “Cyber Incident Reporting System.”