Section 35 of the Cyber Protection Ordinance, 2025 grants police officers the authority to seize computers and related hardware without requiring a warrant.

Under Section 97A of the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs may, on grounds of national security or public order and with ministerial approval, authorise intelligence, national security, investigative, or law enforcement bodies to record or collect user information relating to subscribers of telecommunications services. Telecommunications operators must provide full cooperation to the authority vested with these powers. This access obligation is reinforced in sector-specific licensing rules.
Section 33 of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Regulatory and Licensing Guideline for Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Bangladesh requires ISP operational systems to be compatible with lawful interception and to enable the identification of Wi-Fi subscribers.
Similarly, under Sections 25.03 and 25.05.01–25.05.02 of the BTRC Regulatory and Licensing Guidelines for Cellular Mobile Services in Bangladesh, 2024, cellular mobile licensees must provide connectivity and information to the BTRC Telecommunication Monitoring System (TMS), connect with the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) lawful interception system, and provide access to CDR, IPDR, PDR, ETSAF data, customer and retailer information, call and radio-location information, recharge information, and other required data. Sections 25.07.01–25.07.02 further authorise BTRC, or its authorised representatives, to inspect licensees’ premises and take copies of records, documents, and other business information.

Under Section 30 of the Information and Communication Technology Act, the ICT Controller—an officer appointed under this Act responsible for overseeing its implementation—is authorised to access any computer system, apparatus, data, or other material associated with a computer system for the purpose of conducting or facilitating a search to obtain information contained within or accessible to the system. The ICT Controller may, by order, require any individual responsible for, or otherwise involved in the operation of, the computer system, data apparatus, or related material to provide such reasonable technical and other assistance as they deem necessary.
In addition, under Section 46, if the ICT Controller determines that it is necessary or expedient in the interests of the sovereignty, integrity, or security of Bangladesh, international relations, public order, or for the prevention of incitement to commit a legally recognised offence, they may direct any government law enforcement agency to intercept information transmitted through any computer resource. Additionally, they may instruct the subscriber or any individual responsible for a computer resource to provide all necessary assistance in decrypting the relevant information.
Pursuant to Section 29, the ICT Controller or an authorised officer possesses the same authority as that conferred upon a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure of Bangladesh. These powers encompass the authority to conduct "discovery and inspection" as well as to "compel the production of any document."

Bangladesh's legal framework and jurisprudence lack a comprehensive provision on intermediary liability for copyright infringement. Section 82 of the Copyright Act 2023 merely states that if it is determined that the copyright or other rights of a work’s creator or legal licensee have been infringed by a network service provider or any other third party, the creator, legal licensee, network service provider, or third party must, upon receiving a written objection, remove all copies of the disputed work from any medium under their control as soon as possible and notify the complainant in writing. Failure to comply renders the network service provider, institution, individual, or third party liable for copyright infringement. For this section, a "service provider" is defined as a network, individual, or institution that disseminates, publishes, or broadcasts content through any medium, including information technology, the Internet, and digital platforms.

Section 8(14) of the Bangladesh Patent Act, 2023 empowers the Director General, before granting a patent, to require a foreign patent applicant to adapt the patent description to the general skill of Bangladeshi citizens, with a view to promoting the use of the patented technology in Bangladesh. It is reported that imposing this requirement exclusively on foreign applicants in the patent-granting process may constitute discrimination, thereby potentially violating the principle of national treatment.

Section 12 of the Bank Company Act provides that banks may not transfer records or documents relating to their business outside Bangladesh without prior approval by the Central Bank.

According to Section 64(1) of the Bangladesh Patent Act, 2023, where the applicant’s ordinary residence or place of business is outside Bangladesh, the applicant must be represented by a suitable Bangladeshi person who resides in Bangladesh.

According to Sections 2.3.1.2 and 2.3.4.5 of the Bangladesh Bank Guidelines on Cloud Computing, 2023, the hosting of customers' sensitive data in the cloud used by banks necessitates exceptional approval from the Central Bank.

Bangladesh is not a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Section 29.7 of the Data Protection Ordinance stipulates that, where personal data is transferred, stored, or otherwise processed on any cloud computing infrastructure, whether domestic or international, at least one synchronised, real-time copy of all such data must be maintained within Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has a well-defined framework of copyright exceptions that aligns with the principle of fair use, thereby allowing the lawful utilisation of copyrighted works by others without the need for prior authorisation. The Copyright Act of 2023 introduces the term "fair use" in Section 2(42), which provides definitions for key terms used throughout the legislation. In addition, Sections 70 and 73 of the Act elaborate on the scope and limitations of fair use, specifying the conditions under which copyrighted works may be used without constituting infringement. The Copyright Act of 2023 repealed and replaced the Copyright Act of 2000, which also established a clear framework of copyright exceptions based on fair use, as outlined in its Section 72.

Bangladesh continues to face significant challenges in ensuring adequate intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. This is due, in part, to the limited resources allocated by the Government to IP protection and enforcement. Foreign stakeholders have reported an increase in potential IP violations across several sectors, including consumer goods and software. Enforcement is further constrained by limited investigative resources and technical expertise within the police, as well as reported reluctance to initiate independent investigations, which have impeded IP right holders' ability to enforce their rights effectively.
In addition, IP right holders have raised concerns regarding the courts’ capacity to adjudicate IP cases fairly. Concerns also persist regarding the limited stakeholder engagement and absence of systematic public comment processes in the development of IP-related reforms. In this respect, Bangladesh continues to lack transparent rulemaking procedures that consistently seek stakeholder input to address existing gaps in IP protection and achieve meaningful improvements to its IP regime.

Bangladesh has not adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Bangladesh has not adopted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Bangladesh lacks a comprehensive framework in place that provides effective protection of trade secrets, but there are limited measures addressing some issues related to them. Section 49 of the Patent and Designs Act of 1911 prohibits the disclosure of information about industrial designs in bad faith. Section 73 of the Contract Act of 1872 entitles a party to receive compensation for breaches of contractual obligations; confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements are commonly used to protect confidential information. Further, the Preamble of the Competition Act of 2012 can be read as extending the ambit of anti-trust practices to mala fide disclosures of information. Penal action is envisaged under Section 405 of the Penal Code of 1860, for the offence of criminal breach of trust, which is punishable with up to three years' imprisonment and/or a fine.