Dhaka: BNP on Monday alleged that people are now suffering from ‘digital phobia’ as the government enacted various ‘black laws’ like Digital Security Act to ‘restrict’ the freedom of expression.

‘You (govt) have formulated various black laws, including the Digital Security Act, to lock up democracy, gag people’s voice and suppress the freedom of expression,’ said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, reports the UNB.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he also alleged that people now cannot say anything openly out of fear of reprisal. ‘People are now suffering from digital phobia.’

Referring to a media report on the procurement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the BNP leader said the cat has now come out of the bag as the EVMs were purchased at 11 time higher prices than India.

Rizvi alleged the main motive behind procuring the EVMs is to plunder huge amount of public money ahead of the national election. ‘There’s a question in public mind whether the huge amount of money was given to some particular persons at the Election Commission as a gift ahead of the polls.’

About the boycott of the Commission’s today’s meeting by Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder, the BNP leader said it was a right decision against the snatching of freedom of expression. ‘The Chief Election Commissioner doesn’t listen to any one as he only works on the messages come from the Prime Minister’s Office.’

Reacting to Prime Minister’s various remarks about BNP at her Sunday’s Madaripur rally, Rizvi said Sheikh Hasina’s comments were ‘weird and self-contradictory’ which made people stunned.

He said the Prime Minister tried to shift the blame of her party’s various misdeeds onto others through her comments at the rally.