The interim government has formed a committee to investigate the purchase of surveillance equipment during the regime of the fallen Sheikh Hasina government.
The committee will investigate how, from where and at what price the spy devices were purchased and how those were used, said Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Thursday.
Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, special assistant to the Chief Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and ICT, has been made the head of the committee.
During the briefing, Shafiqul Alam said that during the previous government, some sources claimed the surveillance equipment cost around $300 million, while others estimated it $200 million.
On wiretapping, he said, "This government is not doing anything illegal; that is all I can say. The committee will look into how the previous government used wiretapping illegally, from purchases to deployment, and how the civil rights of Bangladeshi citizens were curtailed. The entire issue will be reviewed."
He added that the report clearly showed that the previous authoritarian government used surveillance tools and spyware to violate citizens' rights, restrict freedom of speech, and infringe upon constitutional privacy protections. The committee will investigate the procurement process, costs, and suppliers, including reported purchases from Israel.
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