Although according to media reports, Biden administration, along with 60 partners, endorsed a new global internet pledge on April 28, which supports government restriction on online speech, a large number of fugitive criminals from Bangladesh have been using US soil in continuing numerous forms of cybercrimes.
Media reports said, the Declaration for the Future of the Internet is a set of nonbinding guidelines that covers issues ranging from “disinformation” and affordable internet access to the free flow of information, according to the document. It urges a crackdown on “harmful” content to advance human rights while arguing that the internet should be used to reinforce “Democratic principles”.
In a tweet, White House said: “In partnership with 60 global partners, the United States has launched the Declaration for the Future of the Internet — a commitment to advance a single global internet that is truly open and fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights”.
Detailing the initiative White House said:
The Internet has been revolutionary. It provides unprecedented opportunities for people around the world to connect and to express themselves, and continues to transform the global economy, enabling economic opportunities for billions of people. Yet it has also created serious policy challenges. Globally, we are witnessing a trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation, and deny their citizens other human rights. At the same time, millions of people still face barriers to access and cybersecurity risks and threats undermine the trust and reliability of networks.
Democratic governments and other partners are rising to the challenge. Today, the United States with 60 partners from around the globe launched the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. Those endorsing the Declaration include Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, the European Commission, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Palau, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Uruguay.
This Declaration represents a political commitment among Declaration partners to advance a positive vision for the Internet and digital technologies. It reclaims the promise of the Internet in the face of the global opportunities and challenges presented by the 21st century. It also reaffirms and recommits its partners to a single global Internet – one that is truly open and fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights. The Declaration’s principles include commitments to:
- Protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people;
- Promote a global Internet that advances the free flow of information;
- Advance inclusive and affordable connectivity so that all people can benefit from the digital economy;
- Promote trust in the global digital ecosystem, including through protection of privacy; and
- Protect and strengthen the multi-stakeholder approach to governance that keeps the Internet running for the benefit of all.
In signing this Declaration, the United States and partners will work together to promote this vision and its principles globally, while respecting each other’s regulatory autonomy within our own jurisdictions and in accordance with our respective domestic laws and international legal obligations.
Over the last year, the United States has worked with partners from all over the world – including civil society, industry, academia, and other stakeholders to reaffirm the vision of an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet and reverse negative trends in this regard. Under this vision, people everywhere will benefit from an Internet that is unified unfragmented; facilitates global communications and commerce; and supports freedom, innovation, education and trust.
Cybercriminals use US, UK and EU soul in continuing crime
As the US authorities as well as government in the European Union are currently focusing on checking the illegal use of internet in spreading lies and disinformation, major tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube should necessary steps in banning several fugitive Bangladeshi nationals who are using social media platforms and YouTube in continuing cybercrime.
For the last few years, a band of criminals, convicted fugitives, terror-funders and Interpol wanted culprits based in the United States, Britain, Sweden, France, Saudi Arabia, Canada and few other countries have been running vile propaganda against Bangladesh. Most surprisingly, some of these evil propagandists with affiliations with radical Islamic and jihadist groups are receiving funding from the United States Congress.
Amongst these individuals, Shahid Uddin Khan, a sacked military officer and Islamic State funder; Kanak Sarwar, a paid propagandist of Pakistani ISI and pro-jihadist Bangladesh Nationalist Party; Ilias Hossain, an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami, defender of war criminals and opponent of Bangladesh-US and Bangladesh-India friendly relations; Mahmudur Rahman, so-called journalist and editor of Jamaat-e-Islami funded vernacular newspaper and a diehard supporter of Pakistan, Al Qaeda, and Iran’s notorious IRGC Quds Force; Mina Farabi alias Mina Rani Farah, a paid agent and propagandist of Jamaat-e-Islami and “contact” of Pakistani spy agency ISI; Pinaki Bhattacharya, a long-time agent of Pakistani ISI are using social media and video-sharing platforms such as Facebook and YouTube in baseless rumors and propaganda with the nefarious agenda of illegally unseating the democratically elected government in Bangladesh.
Tasneem Khalil receives large amount of grant from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). According to a credible source in the US Capitol, although every year NED is paying US$ 0.7 million to Netra News for “promoting democracy”, this dubious website of crooks has been vigorously publishing baseless stories clearly with vendetta against Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other esteemed members of the government and civil-military bureaucrats.
According to Bangladesh Army, Zulkarnain Saer Khan (featured as Sami in the bogus report of terror-broadcast network Al Jazeera), is an ex-cadet expelled from Bangladesh Military Academy on charges of drug addiction.
Shahid Uddin Khan, a convicted terror-funder, money-launderer, tax evader and proven criminal is under investigation by Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Center (IFCACC), United Kingdom’s National Investigation Agency and Indian intelligence agencies for his direct connections with notorious terror don Dawood Ibrahim and for his involvement in terror-finance, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Back in 2019, prestigious British newspaper The Sunday Times published an investigative report on illegal activities of Shahid Uddin Khan.
Influential Indian newspaper The Organiser, an official mouthpiece of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) political ally of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also exposed illegal activities of this convicted fugitive.
Shahid Uddin Khan (Army No: BA002428, Course: 8-BMA, Commission Date: 10-06-1983) and his wife and daughters entered Britain with millions of dirty cash. In 2009, Shahid Uddin Khan invested millions of pounds in the United Kingdom in exchange of obtaining immigrant status under Visa Tier 1, vide VAF No. 511702. The family had laundered an unknown amount of money and brought that into the United Kingdom via United Arab Emirates and few more countries, while Shahid Uddin Khan had invested over 18 million pounds for buying citizenship under Britain’s scandalous ‘Golden Visa’ scheme.
According to Indian news agency IANS, intelligence agencies in that country currently were probing a deep-rooted nexus involving underworld mafia don and notorious terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and a London-based fugitive sacked officer of Bangladesh Army named Md. Shahid Uddin Khan.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Bangladesh has filed a case against sacked military officer and INTERPOL wanted convicted jihad funder Shahid Uddin Khan, his wife Farzana Anjum Khan and two daughters Shehtaz Munasi Khan and Parisa Pinaj Khan on charges of illegal assets worth BDT 400 million. Earlier Dhaka court convicted Shahid Uddin Khan in income tax evasion case. Khan is on run since 2018 and has been living in the United Kingdom with his family.
