ONI Country Profi le
243
Today, Bangladesh is a secular democracy, with Islam as its largest religion. With
two-thirds of its population working in the agricultural sector, the country is attempting to diversify its economy with industrial development as a priority. Although
obstacles to growth exist (widespread poverty, corruption, etc.), Bangladesh ’ s economy
has been on an upward growth trajectory. In 2005, Goldman Sachs included Bangladesh in a list of promising destinations for investment — mentioning its high
potential for future growth and for becoming one of the world ’ s largest economies
by 2025.
4
Although concerns regarding Bangladesh ’ s human rights situation have waned
since the end of the state of emergency, harassment and intimidation continue. In
2010, a violent crackdown on labor activists, union leaders, and workers who were
fi ghting for the right to organize unions and increase minimum wage became a cause
for concern.
5 While Prime Minister Hasina has declared a commitment to human
rights, including freedom of expression and access to information,
6 the government ’ s
commitment to this goal is unclear.
For the moment, the media and Internet appear to be free; however, government
actions and existing legal frameworks suggest that opposition media are not always
tolerated. In April 2010 the government shut down operations of Channel 1, the
country ’ s only privately owned pro-opposition television station, because of an illegal
loan arrangement that the channel had made after it had defaulted on a loan.
7 Some
believe that the government ’ s decision to pull the plug on Channel 1 was politically
motivated. In June 2010, 200 riot police raided the offi ces of Amar Desh , a critical and
pro-opposition newspaper based in Dhaka. Police arrested Mahmudar Rahman, the
editor of Amar Desh, who had written on extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh as well
as corruption among state offi cials.
8 Rahman was charged and jailed under a number
of counts, including sedition, and staff members were charged with a total of 20 counts
of defamation for articles related to the ruling government.
9 The newspaper was canceled on the grounds that it was being published without an authorized publisher as
per the 1973 Printing Presses and Publications Act. However, the Bangladeshi High
Court removed the ban ten days later.
Internet in Bangladesh
The rapid growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Bangladesh is providing new opportunities for the country ’ s development. The government
sees ICTs as enabling development and intends to use such technologies as a key driver
of socioeconomic development.
10 This view is refl ected in the government of Bangladesh ’ s “ Digital Bangladesh ” plan to build a knowledge-based society and transform
Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021.
11 It is also refl ected in the National
Information and Communication Technology Policy, which outlines issues of human
243
Today, Bangladesh is a secular democracy, with Islam as its largest religion. With
two-thirds of its population working in the agricultural sector, the country is attempting to diversify its economy with industrial development as a priority. Although
obstacles to growth exist (widespread poverty, corruption, etc.), Bangladesh ’ s economy
has been on an upward growth trajectory. In 2005, Goldman Sachs included Bangladesh in a list of promising destinations for investment — mentioning its high
potential for future growth and for becoming one of the world ’ s largest economies
by 2025.
4
Although concerns regarding Bangladesh ’ s human rights situation have waned
since the end of the state of emergency, harassment and intimidation continue. In
2010, a violent crackdown on labor activists, union leaders, and workers who were
fi ghting for the right to organize unions and increase minimum wage became a cause
for concern.
5 While Prime Minister Hasina has declared a commitment to human
rights, including freedom of expression and access to information,
6 the government ’ s
commitment to this goal is unclear.
For the moment, the media and Internet appear to be free; however, government
actions and existing legal frameworks suggest that opposition media are not always
tolerated. In April 2010 the government shut down operations of Channel 1, the
country ’ s only privately owned pro-opposition television station, because of an illegal
loan arrangement that the channel had made after it had defaulted on a loan.
7 Some
believe that the government ’ s decision to pull the plug on Channel 1 was politically
motivated. In June 2010, 200 riot police raided the offi ces of Amar Desh , a critical and
pro-opposition newspaper based in Dhaka. Police arrested Mahmudar Rahman, the
editor of Amar Desh, who had written on extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh as well
as corruption among state offi cials.
8 Rahman was charged and jailed under a number
of counts, including sedition, and staff members were charged with a total of 20 counts
of defamation for articles related to the ruling government.
9 The newspaper was canceled on the grounds that it was being published without an authorized publisher as
per the 1973 Printing Presses and Publications Act. However, the Bangladeshi High
Court removed the ban ten days later.
Internet in Bangladesh
The rapid growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Bangladesh is providing new opportunities for the country ’ s development. The government
sees ICTs as enabling development and intends to use such technologies as a key driver
of socioeconomic development.
10 This view is refl ected in the government of Bangladesh ’ s “ Digital Bangladesh ” plan to build a knowledge-based society and transform
Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021.
11 It is also refl ected in the National
Information and Communication Technology Policy, which outlines issues of human