Facebook to reply within 48hrs of filing complaint

Facebook authorities gave assurance that they will respond to every complaint filed by the Bangladesh government and reply within 48 hours what measures they have taken, said State Minister for Telecom Tarana Halim.

“Facebook assured us that they will take special care about crime against women and terrorist activity issues on the social media,” Tarana said in a press conference yesterday at her office.

Tarana recently attended a meeting with senior officials of Facebook South-East Asia in Singapore and yesterday she shared findings of her recent visit.

She also held meetings with Microsoft and Google officials of Asia-Pacific region office and discussed cyber security issues of Bangladesh.

Tarana said as Facebook will respond immediately to our notice, there is no need to set up Facebook's admin panel in Bangladesh right now.

She, however, did not reveal any detail about the measures to be taken by Facebook upon receiving specific complaint against a user from the Bangladesh authorities.

“Currently, admin offices only look after Facebook's regular activity, and they are focusing on business issues, not security, so we shouldn't emphasis on that,” Tarana said.  

Facebook authorities will also take an initiative to train members of law enforcement agencies and the government officials to set up a Special Point of Contact, a designated desk which maintains contact with Facebook, said the state minister.

At the same time, if the Bangladesh government invites Facebook, they will send their experts to attend workshop on safe internet as well, Tarana added.

On November 30 last year, Tarana wrote to the Facebook authorities to sign a deal with the government and Facebook also replied to the letter immediately.

But yesterday she said the global leading social media site is helping the Bangladesh government as per its requirement, and that is why there is no need to ink a deal with the Facebook immediately.

“Facebook will also run a feasibility study in Bangladesh for their business purposes and that will also help us establish strong ties with them [the Facebook authorities].”

The Bangladesh government kept Facebook along with some other social media blocked from 18 November to 10 December last year on security ground.

Tarana yesterday said they have no intention to suppress people's voice, but blocking social media at that time saved people's lives.