The Cyber Security Act will be amended or reformed soon, Adviser on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Asif Nazrul said on Sunday.

He made this announcement during a discussion titled "Right to Information - The Supporting Role of NGOs in Establishing Transparency and Accountable Good Governance," which was jointly organized by the Right to Information Forum and the Foundation for Human Rights at the Bureau of NGO Affairs on Sunday.

He emphasized that the Cyber Security Act should not be repealed, as it primarily addresses two types of crimes: "Computer Offences" (crimes committed using computers) and "Speech Offences." While it may be feasible to eliminate the provisions related to "Speech Offences," abolishing the "Computer Offences" section would not be advisable.

Commenting on the lack of awareness about the right to information, he said, "This right is not like any other right - all rights would be worthless without the right to information. This right is connected to every other right."

He said, "If the country's law, justice and governance departments are not in order, then the Information Commission or the Human Rights Commission will not be able to do any work. Those who talk about the right to information should also talk about fair elections. We must speak out against forced disappearances, we must out speak against extrajudicial killings."

Dr. Asif reflected on a time when mentioning the Prime Minister's name was taboo, stating, "We were told that everything could be discussed except for her name. This is how Sheikh Hasina had become a tyrannical figure. Yet, did we protest? Rarely, with no more than 10 to 12 people showing up. It's crucial that we don't forget these moments. Protesting is essential during periods of bad governance. We must consistently raise our voices, even if we've made mistakes."

Stating that the previous government had made the judiciary a tool of torture, he said: "They made parliament a forum for looting. We should be vocal about these things."

The meeting, chaired by Md Saidur Rahman, Director General of the NGO Affairs Bureau, also included key figures such as Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan, Cabinet Department Secretary for Coordination and Reforms; Sheesh Haider Chowdhury, Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Department; Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB; Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of SHUJAN; former Ambassador Humayun Kabir; Md Anwar Hossain, Director of the NGO Affairs Bureau; and Hasibur Rahman, Executive Director of MRDI, among others.

Shaheen Anam, Convener of the Right to Information Forum, delivered the keynote speech at the event, while Dr. Ananya Raihan served as the moderator.