The current interim government is not engaging in any illegal activities regarding the use of wiretapping devices, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Shafiqul Alam has said.
He made the remarks during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in Dhaka on Thursday, August 14, responding to questions from journalists.
A reporter from a private television channel asked whether a committee had been formed to investigate allegations of illegal surveillance using spyware during the previous government’s tenure – actions that reportedly violated citizens’ right to privacy. The journalist also inquired if the current administration was continuing similar surveillance practices.
In response, Shafiqul Alam confirmed that an investigation committee has been established to examine how wiretapping devices were used under the previous government, including the procurement process and the impact on civil rights.
“We are looking into how these tools were acquired and deployed, and whether they were used in violation of legal and constitutional safeguards,” he said.
However, he stressed that the present government is not conducting any unlawful surveillance. “The use of wiretapping devices, if any, is being done strictly within the bounds of the law,” he added.
Also present at the briefing were Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Senior Assistant Press Secretary Faiz Ahmed, and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi.