Security personnel use batons, tear gas to disperse protesters near Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's house
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Dhaka (PTI): Security agencies used batons and fired tear gas on Monday to disperse protesters who tried to demolish the house of deposed premier Sheikh Hasina's father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital.
"Several sound grenades were used to disperse the protesters," Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division Police, was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.
The paper reported that several protesters and security personnel were injured during the baton-charge and brick-hurling clashes.
Mujibur Rahman, fondly called Bangabandhu, was killed in a military coup on August 15, 1975, along with most of his family members, including his 10-year-old youngest son, Sheikh Russell.
A large part of Rahman's private residence, which was turned into a museum, was levelled following the ouster of the Awami League regime of Hasina last year.
On Monday, Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal for "crimes against humanity" over her government's brutal crackdown on student-led protests last year.
Even before the verdict was announced, a large group of protesters tried to move two excavators towards Dhanmondi 32, where Rahman's house is located. They were stopped by security personnel, who used batons to disperse protesters, the paper said.
Some protesters regrouped near Square Hospital on Panthapath, where law enforcers fired several rounds of tear gas.
Traffic on Mirpur Road in Dhaka and the surrounding areas was suspended, and most shops in the neighbourhood were closed.
Around 2:45 pm, law enforcers pulled back amid intense pressure from the demonstrators.
Minutes later, the army, police and RAB began using batons and sound grenades, bringing the area back under full control.
Police have placed barricades in front of the premises and are currently not allowing anyone inside the site.
“We will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands under any circumstances,” Additional deputy commissioner of Dhanmondi division Zisanul Haque was quoted as saying by the Prothom Alo newspaper.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
