Firstly, privacy is a fundamental human right, while security is
merely a tool
My dear opponents, let us be very clear.
Rights exist to protect people.
Tools exist to control systems.
Privacy is not a favor granted by the state when convenient.
It is a legally recognized human right. In fact,
• Article 43 of the Constitution of Bangladesh clearly guarantees
the right to privacy of correspondence and communication,
allowing restrictions only in reasonable and lawful situations.
So privacy is a right protected by law, whereas security is simply a
mechanism used by the state
So while privacy belongs to the people,
security belongs to the system.
Now let us look at the Bangladeshi reality,
Where strangely enough, “security” always seems to arrive with a form
to fill [Link] the name of security, citizens are asked—very politely, of
course—to surrender:
• National ID (NID) numbers
• Biometric fingerprints
• Facial scans
• SIM registration data
• Phone numbers linked to banking and mobile financial services
Statistics: Bangladesh has over 120 million mobile phone subscribers,
and SIM registration is mandatory with biometric data. This means the
vast majority of citizens’ identities are digitally stored.
And every time, we hear the same justification:
“It’s for your security.” What a generous argument!
But my dear opponents, let me ask a simple and logical question:
If security exists to protect citizens,
why does it begin by taking away their control over their own
identity?
For Example:
Over the past few years, Bangladeshi media has repeatedly reported
incidents of:
• NID data misuse
• SIM-linked fraud
• Scam calls where criminals already know personal details
These crimes did not happen because citizens lacked security.
They happened because their privacy was compromised.
As a result, ordinary citizens suffer,
Secondly, excessive security measures are often misused—and
Bangladesh has seen this firsthand.
My dear opponents love the word “security.”
Whenever something goes wrong, they say: “Don’t worry — we’re
keeping you safe.”
But in July 2024, in the name of that same security, Bangladesh faced
a nationwide internet shutdown during student protests.
Mobile data vanished. Broadband slowed. A whole nation went silent.
Statistic: According to the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh
(e-CAB), this shutdown led to an estimated Tk 1,700 crore loss as
e-commerce transactions, ride-hailing, digital services, and online work
largely froze. The Daily Star
Example:
• Freelancers lost work
• Small online shops lost customers
• Families lost contact
• Journalists lost their voices
These were not criminals, my dear opponents.
These were ordinary citizens, punished because communication itself
was treated as a threat.
And Bangladesh is not alone.
In 2024, governments carried out 296 internet shutdowns across 54
countries — not to stop crime, but to control people and information.
So I ask the opposition, politely but clearly:
When an entire nation is silenced, is that security — or misuse of
power? What kind of security silences its own people?
In Bangladesh, many citizens now think twice before expressing
opinions online. Not because they are criminals—but because they fear
being watched, misunderstood, or punished. Parents warn their
children:
“Don’t say that online.”
If citizens are too scared to express themselves, I don’t know what
exactly is security protecting!
Because Privacy creates:
• freedom of expression,
• creativity,
• political participation,
• and trust in institutions.
Once people lose privacy, they lose confidence in the system meant to
protect them. That’s why must prioritize privacy rather than unchecked
security.
Thirdly: Once privacy is lost, security cannot restore it.
Imagine you post your photos on Facebook or Instagram—nothing
secret, just life.
A few days later, someone creates a fake account using your pictures.
They message your friends, ask for money, spread lies—all in your
name.
You report it. You complain.
But dear opponents—can you take the damage back?
This is the problem of irreversibility. Irreversible loss: Personal data,
once leaked, cannot be taken back.
• You can fix security systems.
• You can update firewalls.
• You can pass new laws.
But once personal data is leaked, privacy is gone—forever.
Statistic: According to recent global cyber-security reports in 2025,
more than 50% of data breaches exposed personal information—such
as names, phone numbers, and addresses.
This means over half of all cyber attacks directly destroy people’s
privacy, not just systems.
In Bangladesh ,
Almost everyone here has heard this call:
A stranger says,
“Hello sir, I am Nahid from Bkash Customer Care”
They already know your name, your number, sometimes even your NID.
They sound confident. Official. Safe.
Then comes one sentence:
“Sir, just tell me the OTP.”
One OTP—and your money is gone. Not because security was absent.
But because privacy was already broken.
Your SIM data leaked.
Your number was tracked.
Your identity was exposed
My dear opponent, this is the truth of digital age –
• Security system can be fixed
• But Privacy loss cannot
That’s why Privacy comes first and we strongly stand by that.