Abstract
Defamation laws, Bangladesh stands out for incorporating them within its cyber legislation. The historical underpinnings of this retention can be traced back to the complex dynamics between the colonizer and the colonized during the codification of laws in British India. Remarkably, criminal defamation continues to persist in several Commonwealth nations, Bangladesh included. To grasp the nature of cyber defamation within the country, it becomes imperative to unravel the historical continuum that has perpetuated criminal defamation. This article embarks on a historical exploration, delving into the origins of enduring defamation laws from their inception in British India to their present-day presence in Bangladesh. Then it identifies the anachronistic characters of the defamation laws and proposes for the decriminalisation of defamation.