Akbar Ali says Official Secrets Act is an inactive law

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DHAKA, Nov 19 (bdprem.com) - Regulatory Reforms Commission chairman Akbar Ali Khan Monday termed the existing Official Secrets Act an 'inactive law' and said the commission had no jurisdiction to suggest a change to the law. "It is inactive from an academic point of view," Khan told reporters in a briefing after the commission's first meeting at its temporary site at the Board of Investment office. "I have never heard of anybody being punished for violating the secrets law," he said. "It is nothing but a myth." The commission chairman said that it had no jurisdiction to bring changes to existing laws, adding it will concentrate only on rules and regulations. "If it is necessary to change laws, we'll recommend it to the Law Commission," Khan added. He said Bangladesh's media enjoy enormous freedom that no other country in the world has.