Law watch
Cyber crime in 'Digital Bangladesh'
Shakila Yeasmin Suchana
CYBER crime' is a contemporary phenomenon to Bangladeshi people. With advancement of information technology, we have been facing increasing rates of high-tech crime mostly committed with the use of computer. Whereas we are envisioning 'Digital Bangladesh' and the government is making various efforts towards achieving this end, we should not be oblivious of the evils of technological crimes! For reasons obvious, we must be alert of cyber crime.
Cyber crime is the criminal activities done by computer or internet. It is also known as computer crime. Any use of computer as an instrument of further illegal ends or any illegal acts against computer do fall within the ambit of cyber crime. In Bangladesh, many people now are using computer and internet. Most of the government and private institutions have introduced e-governance and e-commerce. Hence, there is high risk of cyber crime victimization.
Financial cheating is the most occurred cyber crime in Bangladesh. It is done by giving attractive advertising in the website or enticement by email. Money laundering, credit card frauds, and online gambling are the most using way to cheating Bangladeshi people.
It is painful that copyright infringement and software piracy are now very visible ills in our country. Trademark violation is also a crime. Password cracking or cheating by others ID is a common crime done by juveniles in Bangladesh. These crimes are mainly committed by doing fun through face book. For example, recently Apurbo, one popular drama-artist of our country, disclosed to the media that someone had opened Face Book account by his name and photo and used this as camouflage of cheating people. Same experience is faced by actress Sohana Saba. The cheats take people's contact number and personal information by using famous person's ID and then use it for blackmailing.
Cyber pornography, a degrading facet of cyber crime, has taken many forms and is swelled by internet. Pornographic pictures, photos and writings affect young mindset. Child pornography attracts children by providing them pornographic material in accessible manner. Some years back, hackers inserted pornographies to the website of Bangladesh National parliament. It was really embarrassing, shameful and distressing. Unfortunately, person/s committing such heinous crime spared unidentified.
Computer virus caused serious damage to computer's application system. There are more than 5000 different strains of virus across the globe. For instance, news published all over the world says that on 1st April 2009 a virus would attack thousands of computers. Fortunately, it did not happen. Logic bombs, web jacking and Trojan attacks are also crime to attack computer.
Data diddling and theft information from website or by email is an alarming crime for our country. The government should be more watchful to secure our national secrete information's.
Email threatening is also a great problem to internet users. Many of our VIP and persons from reputed organizations are victims of email threatening. Even, example of threat to Sheikh Hasina's life by e-mail indicates that the premiers are also the subject of e-mail crime.
There are many other cyber crimes like sale of illegal articles, hatching, forgery, cyber stalking and the latest being using emails and computer for spreading cyber terrorism. These crimes create financial problems, encourage property theft, or damage our computer system.
Good news is that, of late enacted Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 has defined cyber crime and brought this crime under our criminal jurisprudence. However, there are many other things need to be included in the Act and we have to enact and implement appropriate laws to address the problem of cyber crime. Thus, we can really make our country 'DIGITAL BANGLADESH' without fear or cyber crime victimization.
Shakila Yeasmin Suchana is a student of Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University.
