Social media content: IGP wants a ‘community contract’

Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed has suggested forming of a "community contract" in Bangladesh to deal with inappropriate contents on social media, especially Facebook.

"At present, we write to Facebook authorities for removal of defamatory contents," he said, adding that the process proved to be inefficient in cases as Facebook did not have any office in the country.

He made the comments in a view exchange meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen at Rajarbagh Police Auditorium on the occasion of Police Week 2022.

Singapore has a "community contract" and India has an office of Facebook to deal with the issue, he said.

As Bangladesh does not have a Facebook office, the country should consider setting up a "community contract", the IGP said. He also requested the authorities to take a step to set up a Facebook office in the country.

Seeking anonymity, a top official who was present at the meeting, shared the details with The Daily Star.

"Community contract" is a monitoring body that assists authorities to deal with inappropriate content on social media.

During the meeting, police officials also requested the secretary to consider a liaison officer post from the police cadre to ensure security and legal support to the Bangladesh expatriates.

A liaison officer would be able to assist and process the file for those often stuck in different countries after becoming victims of human trafficking, they said.

They would also be able to look at other security issues as well, they added.

On the issue, IGP Benazir said, "We want the liaison officer not as a diplomatic post." He requested the foreign secretary to make it a "supportive post".

Benazir further said that the main job of the police is to maintain security. Thus, the post of DG Security should also be given to police, he said.

About the demand for a liaison officer, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said that he would now look into the issue with utmost priority.

The secretary, however, did not make any comments on the "community content" and DG security post during the meeting on Monday, sources confirmed.

Masud said vested quarters both from home and abroad are spreading propagandas against the members of the country's law enforcement agencies.

"As painful as it is for you, it does not go with the image of Bangladesh either," he said, addressing the police officials.

He further called upon the officials to work in this regard.

On January 12, AKM Mozammel Haque, the chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, said "Those who are involved in anti-state activities and making anti-state statements abroad will be listed and their passports will be impounded."

The issue came into discussion at the Cabinet committee meeting on the law and order situation held at the conference room of the home ministry.