Alarmed at last week's cabinet decision to amend Telecoms Act to allow law-enforcement agencies eavesdrop on phones they said, it violates human rights and freedom of expression.

"Government is responsible for the prevailing mismanagement, unrest and anarchic situation in the country and in such an atmosphere it may seem the act to tap telephones is necessary. But, we are worried about the misuse of the act," the statement read. They fear the amendment, in some cases, will be used to harass people.

Signatories of the statement include politicians, academics, lawyers and human rights activists.

The signatories are Dr Khan Sarwar Murshid, Dr Anisuzzaman, Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, Ajay Roy, Dr Hamida Hossain, Dr Muzaffer Ahmed, Dr Ajay Roy, Prof Hayat Mamud, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Abul Barakat Dulal, Ziauddin Tareq Ali, Dr Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed, Dr Syed Anwar Hossain, Ayesha Khanam, Prof Shawkat Ara Hossain, advocates Mahbubey Alam, Mohammad Mahbub Ali, Subrata Chowdhury, Tabarak Hussain, Porimal Chandra Guha, M Enayetur Rahim, Mohammad Sagir Anwar, Mohammad Zahidul Bari, Mohammad Liakot Ali, SMA Sabur and Ruhul Amin Patwari, Chowdhury Khurshid Alam.