EC orders 24 hours social media monitoring

Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) has directed the concerned parties for 24-hour monitoring to prevent conspiracies of disrupting elections through social media including Facebook-Twitter. In this case, instructions have been given to take action against the criminal under the existing law including the Digital Security Act.

Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad announced this directive in a press conference at the election building on Monday (November 26).

He said that ahead of the elections, the Election Commission has ordered 24-hour monitoring of the social media to prevent rumours, misinformation and conspiracies. In this case mobile operators, regulatory bodies BTRC, NTMC and cyber crime unit of police will do round the clock monitoring. They will be permanently attached to us if necessary. In this, we can give the necessary instructions immediately after the incident.'

Helaluddin Ahmad said, 'I have ordered 24-hour monitoring to the concerned institutions if social media including Facebook is used for propaganda, rumours, questioning or derailing the election. Propaganda from fake IDs will be identified and action will be taken against the propagandists as per existing laws.'

In response to a question from the journalists, the secretary said, 'The regulatory agency BTRC has given an opinion that social media cannot be stopped in any way. Cyber crime unit of NTMC, BTRC and law enforcement will monitor those who spread rumours, violence and propaganda. In this case, action will be taken against those responsible after informing the EC.