Transborder Data Flows, Privacy, and Censorship

Transborder Data Flows Currently the government does not permit people to purchase goods or services over the internet (2).  Because of this current limitation, it is hard for companies to create databases of customer information.  Since companies have such limited information on customers, it is hard to contemplate the idea of transborder data flows.  In addition, the GDP of Bangladesh, nationwide and per capita, is so low that its also hard to imagine companies outside Bangladesh would want the information.  Regardless, there is little to nil information on this topic of transborder data flows.
Page Index | Site Index Privacy Recently BTTB (regulating body of ISPs and an ISP itself) wrote a letter to all ISPs asking for private business information.  Information required included the companies 5 year business plan, technical diagrams, and details about technical instruments. BTTB plans to use this information to capture the whole internet service.  Only concerned ministry can ask these questions (3).  However, BTTB is the governmentally held telecom company, and holds a monopoly in this industry. Since BTTB is so political, the information will have to be submitted from the private ISPs.  In conclusion, there is no such thing as privacy in Bangladesh, especially with the government.
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Censorship In august, several reporters were arrested for publishing a report about a petition to the prime minister calling for protection from harassment by politicians.  Reporters were threatened, a BBC office was shot at, and over 30 people were injured because reporters wanted to broadcast some news (1).  Although this is not specifically IT related, it shows how strong political censorship is in Bangladesh.  If a person has a web site with too much information, that person's whole family could be in jeopardy.  The government has a tight hold on its people.

The internet presents a problem for the government and a solution for the people.  Politicians will now have a harder time trying to regulate and restricts the people.  People can have sites on non Bangladesh servers.  People can be completely anonymous, thus their lives can remain unthreatened.
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