Bangladesh court observes Facebook should adopt policies in line with local social norms

The cyber tribunal of Rajshahi in a judgement Monday suggested Facebook to adopt policies that are compatible with Bangladesh's social system, Ismat Ara, public prosecutor of the court said. In its observation in the judgement, the tribunal judge Ziaur Rahman wrote that Bangladesh's social values, people's beliefs, religious habits, culture, interrelationships, and social customs are completely different from those of other countries. Bangladesh's social structure cannot be compared to that of a developed country, the court ruling says. Therefore, the Facebook should adopt policies that suits the culture and habits of its users in Bangladesh, the ruling says. In case of any incident of cybercrime, Facebook should collaborate from the point of responsibility to identify, bring charges, and punish criminals. On Facebook, the court made three specific recommendations.

The recommendations are: 1. The cradle of cybercrime is fake ID. To have the option available to open multiple IDs anonymously in the name of the same person raises a cyber-security risk. Facebook is expected to play a significant role in preventing fake IDs. 2. There must be security so that no one can download without permission photos and videos of women and children posted on Facebook. It is necessary to improve security. 3. Prompt detection and removal of any content that might offend one's religious values. The court said that the cyber world cannot be denied, while also requesting that Facebook play a more effective role in preventing cyberbullying for security. It also suggested that educational content be created to prevent cyberbullying. It also requested that Facebook create and share content showing how to become a responsible netizen.

The ‘important observations regarding facebook’ came while the tribunal judge Ziaur Rahman was delivering a verdict against the accused Akter Hossain, 45, of Shingra of Natore district, the tribunal’s public prosecutor Ismat Ara said. The tribunal convicted Akter Hossain under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006 for publishing fake, obscene and defaming information and photographs of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Manmohon Singh in September 2015. Akter Hossain was awarded with seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined with Tk one lakh, in default of which, he has to suffer three months more in jail, she said. The accused Akter Hossain published obscene and defaming information using portraits of the Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohon Singh on the 2nd of September, 2015. The next day, one Mokhlesur Rahman, a follower of the Bangladeshi premiere, filed a case with Singra police station accusing Akter Hossain. The police pressed the charges against Akter on March 8, 2016. The case was transferred to the cyber tribunal two months later. The court heard five out of nine prosecution witnesses and with provided evidences, the court found the accusations against him proved beyond doubt, the public prosecutor said.