Online Desk: Washington has welcomed Dhaka’s decision to “transform” the Digital Security Act. “As we’ve previously stated, the Digital Security Act has been used to arrest, detain, and silence critics,” said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller at a press briefing in Washington last night. He was asked if the US has any assessment about Bangladesh government’s move to change the DSA to Cyber Security Act and soften certain provisions.

Miller said, “We welcome the Bangladeshi Government’s long-stated commitment to reform the law, to protect freedom of expression, and we encourage the Government of Bangladesh to give all stakeholders an opportunity to review and provide input to the new draft Cyber Security Act to ensure it meets international standards.”

The Cabinet yesterday agreed in principle to replace the controversial Digital Security Act with the Cyber Security Act, amending some sections of the DSA.

Law Minister Anisul Huq said there were so many changes brought to the sections of the DSA that its name was changed to the Cyber Security Act to avoid confusion. But the minister made it clear that the DSA hasn’t been scrapped, but changed.