Cyber Security Act, 2026, unauthorised access to a computer system
A citation is an address, not a summary. The first part names the law; what follows narrows it to the exact section, article or paragraph.
In force since 21 May 2025.
A computer misuse rule binding public and private bodies.
As of 6 September 2026.
What it requires
- Do not gain illegal entry into a computer, digital device, computer system, or computer network, and do not assist another person to do so; a higher penalty applies where the entry is for the purpose of committing an offence, and a further higher penalty applies where the entry results in the theft, destruction, or alteration of information, or in an AI agent generating new data through that access.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
Up to 1 year's imprisonment, or a fine of up to BDT 1,000,000, or both, for illegal entry alone (s.18(2)(a)); up to 2 years, or a fine of up to BDT 2,000,000, or both, where the entry is for the purpose of committing an offence (s.18(2)(b)); up to 5 years, or a fine of up to BDT 5,000,000, or both, where the entry (hacking) results in theft, destruction, or alteration of data or in an AI agent generating new data (s.18(2)(c)).
What it reaches
Obligation class
Access restriction
What this law does
Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.
Section 18(1)(a) makes it an offence for a person intentionally to gain illegal entry into a computer, digital device, computer system, or computer network, or to assist another to do so, punishable by up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of up to BDT 1,000,000, or both. Section 18(1)(b) raises the offence, and the penalty to up to two years or BDT 2,000,000, where the illegal entry is for the purpose of committing an offence.
Section 18(1)(c) raises it further, to up to five years or BDT 5,000,000, where the illegal entry (described as hacking) results in theft, destruction, cancellation, or alteration of information from a data store, in a diminution of its value or utility, or in an artificial intelligence agent generating new data through that access.
The Act does not define "illegal entry" by reference to defeating a security measure or exceeding an authorisation, so the provision's reach over a scraper reading a public, unauthenticated page is not addressed by the text read.
When LexLint raises it
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Read the law
official statute text, Bangladesh Laws (bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd)