Digital Security Act
DSA: Order on Jhumon Das’s bail plea Thursday
The High Court on Tuesday fixed Thursday for passing an order on the bail petition of Jhumon Das in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.
A HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar fixed the date after hearing on the petition.
Advocates ZI Khan Panna, Nahid Sultana and Ashraf Ali stood for Jhumon Das while assistant attorney general Mohammad Mizanur Rahman represented the state.
Jhumon was arrested in a case filed under DSA for posting defamatory remarks about then Hefazat leader Mamunul Haque on his Facebook page.
READ: HC orders investigation on assets and bank accounts of Rajarbagh Pir
The case was filed with Shalla Police Station in Sunamganj district.
On March 17, miscreants carried out an attack on the houses of minority people at Noagaon village in Shalla upazila over his Facebook post.
On March 16, police detained Jhumon Das and police produced him before a court showing him arrested in a case filed under section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) the next day. Then the court sent him to jail.
On March 22, police filed a case under DSA with Shalla police station and Jhumon was shown arrested in the case on March 23.
READ: HC grants anticipatory bail to 11 lawyers in a DSA case
On March 30, he was taken on a two-day remand in the case.
On July 18, a magistrate court rejected the bail petition of Jhumon.
Later, Jhumon filed a petition with the High Court seeking bail in the case.
Dhaka cyber court accepts charges against Kajol
A tribunal on Wednesday accepted charges against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) at Kamrangirchar Police Station.
Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossain of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal accepted the charges and fixed October 20 for framing charges against Kajol in the case.
Kajol went missing on March 10, 2020, a day after Magura-1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor filed a case against him and 31 others, including Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.
They were sued under the DSA for publishing and sharing an article on social media about expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia.
Two other cases were filed against Kajol at Kamrangir Char and Hazaribagh police stations under the same act on March 10 and March 11.
Also read: Digital Security Act: Charges pressed against Kajol
After his 53 days of disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) near the Benapole border on May 3 and produced in a Jashore court on the same day.
Although the court granted him bail in the case, he was sent to jail as Kotwali police brought another charge against him under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
On October 19, 2020, the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain why photojournalist Kajol should not be granted bail in the case filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
Also read: Journalist Kajol freed from jail
On November 24, 2020, the photojournalist secured bail in another case filed against him under the DSA.
On December 17, that year, the High Court granted him bail in two cases filed under the DSA, clearing the way for his release.
He was freed from Dhaka Central Jail on December 25 last year.
Helena Jahangir placed on three-day remand
A Dhaka court on Friday placed ‘Joyjatra IPTV’ chairman Helena Jahangir on a three-day remand in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order after investigation officer Sheikh Shahnur Rahman produced her before it, seeking a 5-day remand for interrogating her.
Earlier, the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) filed the case against her with Gulshan Police Station, ASP Imran Khan, assistant director (media) at the Rab headquarters, told UNB.
Details of the case will be made public soon, he said.
Read: Helena Jahangir held from Gulshan residence after Rab raid
Besides, Imran said, Rab is getting ready to file more cases against Helena who was removed from Awami League sub-committee on women affairs recently.
Rab members held Helena from her Gulshan residence on Thursday night, four days after she was removed from the AL sub-committee.
The elite force members "seized foreign liquor, illegal walkie-talkie sets, casino equipment and deer skins" during a four-hour raid on her home on Thursday, Rab Executive Magistrate Palash Kumar Basu said.
Rab also raided and sealed off Joyjatra IPTV.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said action will be taken soon against unregulated and unauthorized internet protocol televisions (IPTVs) across the country.
Read: Helena Jahangir loses AL membership for 'Chakrijibi League' links
Mahmud, also Awami League joint general secretary, said this while replying to a question from reporters at his official residence in Dhaka on Friday afternoon.
“Some IPTVs are often involved in spreading rumours, dishing out false information. It’s also seen that some people have opened offices of television channels and even appointed their district representatives before getting any government approval. All these issues need to be regulated,” said Mahmud.
About Helena, he said Helena Jahangir is chairman of Joyjatra IPTV. “This is not fair for such a person to enter any sub-committee of the party (AL),” he added.
Thakurgaon journalist arrested under DSA gets bail
Tanvir Hasan Tanur, a journalist from Thakurgaon arrested under the Digital Security Act (DSA) has been granted bail.
Rejecting police application for a five-day remand, Thakurgaon Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Arifur Rahman passed the order as police produced him before the court on Sunday.
For a report over the irregularities in the food provided to the Covid patients of Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital, Dr Mohammad Nadirul Islam Aziz, superintendent of the hospital filed a cased under DSA on July 9 against three journalists, said Sadar Police Station OC Tanvirul Islam.
Also read: 3 journos sued under DSA in Thakurgaon, one held
They were Thakurgaon district correspondent of Daily Ittefaq, Jago News 24 and Independent TV Tanvir Hasan Tanu, correspondent of Bangladesh Pratidin Abdul Latif Litu and correspondent of NewsBangla24.com Rahim Shuvo.
Tanu, also the office secretary of Thakurgaon Press Club and the president of Thakurgaon Online Journalists Association, was arrested at around 8:30 pm Saturday when he went to the police station for his query over the case.
Also read: Khulna journalist sent to jail in DSA case
Meanwhile, Thakurgaon Press Club, Thakurgaon Television Journalists Association, Thakurgaon Online Journalists Association members and other journalists of Thakurgaon strongly protested against the arrest of journalist Tanu under DSA.
Journalist leaders said, if the case under DSA was not withdrawn and he was not given unconditional release they would go for a harder movement.
3 journos sued under DSA in Thakurgaon, one held
A case has been filed against three journalists under the Digital Security Act for publishing reports in the online versions of their media organizations over alleged irregularities in Thakugaon Modern Sadar Hospital.
Dr Nadirul Aziz, supervisor of Thakurgaon Modern Sadar Hospital, filed the case against the trio with Sadar Police Station on July 9 for publishing the reports, said its officer-in-charge Tanvirul Islam.
Read: Hefazat violence in Brahmanbaria: DSA Case filed
The accused are Tanvir Hasan Tanu, Thakurgaon district correspondent of Daily Ittefaq, Jago News24 and Independent TV, Abdul Latif Litu, district correspondent of Bangladesh Protidin and Rahim Shuvho, district correspondent of Newsbangla24.com.
Hefazat violence in Brahmanbaria: DSA Case filed
RAM Ubaidul Moktadir, MP of Brahmanbaria-3 constituency, has filed a case against 19 named accused including Hefazat-e-Islam’s dissolved central committee joint secretary general Sajedur Rahman for allegedly tarnishing his personal image by holding a press conference after the violence in Brahmanbaria.
The case was filed Tuesday, under the Digital Security Act (DSA) with the court of Chattogram Cyber Tribunal Judge SKM Tofail Hasan.
Besides 19 named accused, hundred more unidentified persons were accused in this case.
Also read: People involved with Hefazat violence to be punished: Home Minister
MP Ubaidul said, "Leaders and activists of Hefazat-e-Islam carried out massive violence in Brahmanbaria for three days from March 26 to 28. On March 31, they held a press briefing putting all the blame on me to save themselves.”
Since journalists were not present at the press briefing they promoted the briefing videos over Facebook-YouTube.
Also read: Hefazat violence in Brahmanbaria: 60 held, two more cases filed
At this, his image was tarnished through the propaganda so MP Ubaidul appeared in person to file the case at Chattogram Cyber Tribunal, he said
The court has been requested to direct PBI to investigate the case, plaintiff's lawyer HM Ziauddin said.
Khulna journalist sent to jail in DSA case
A Khulna court on Thursday sent journalist MA Sabur Rana to jail, after rejecting his bail plea in a case under Digital Security Act.
Khulna Metropolitan magistrate court-1 judge Shahidul Islam passed the order.
Journalist Sabur Rana is Rampal correspondent of a Jashore based daily “Dainik lokshamaj’ and also president of Rampal press club.
Also read: Ex-Satkhira Bar Association President arrested in DSA case
According to court sources, on April 18 a Facebook status was published from NTV’s Khulna correspondent Abu Tayeb’s Facebook ID against Khulna City Corporation Mayor.
Mayor Abu Talukdar Abdul Khaleque later filed a case against two journalists in Khulna police station claiming the Facebook post has socially disgraced him.
The same night police arrested journalist Abu Tayeb. After spending 21 days in jail he was freed.
Also read: DSA case: Workers’ leader Ruhul Amin gets bail
Today Sabur Rana the other accused of the case appeared before court praying bail which was denied.
Lawyer Belal Hossain, on behalf of the accused, said the bail plea will be submitted to the higher court now.
Ex-Satkhira Bar Association President arrested in DSA case
Former president of Satkhira District Bar Association Advocate Shah Alam was arrested under the Digital Security Act (DSA) on Sunday.
Alam and four other lawyers were sued by apprentice lawyer Liakat Hossain in the morning at Satkhira Sadar Police Station.
Other accused are- Advocate Shirajul Islam, Advocate Tariq Iqbal Topu, Advocate Shahedujjaman Shahed and Advocate Fuad Habib Tito.
Also read: DSA case: Workers’ leader Ruhul Amin gets bail
According to the case statement, on October 6 last year, the then president of the association Alam called Liakat to his chamber, physically assaulted him and hung a placard on his neck with the writing “I’m not a lawyer, I’m a cheat”.
Alam took photos of Liakat and posted it on his Facebook profile.
Also read: DSA case: HC grants bail to cartoonist Kishore
Meanwhile, On April 27, Alam was sued in another DSA case for making derogatory comments about public prosecutor Abdul Latif during a virtual hearing of a rape case on April 26.
Officer-in-Charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station Delwar Hossain said Alam was produced before the court in the afternoon.
Noted citizens demand release of detained students before eid
A group of noted citizens, including Dr Kamal Hossain, on Saturday demanded the release of over 50 students, belonging to Chhatra Odhikar Parishad arrested around two months backs, on bail before Eid-ul-Fitr.
They made the demand at a press conference at the conference room of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra in the city’s Dhanmondi area.
On May 5, 18 eminent citizens sent a letter to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain requesting him to take steps to remove the barriers to the release of the arrested students on bail.
The students were arrested during their protests against the Digital Security Act and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Bangladesh.
Joining the press conference virtually, Gonoforum President and veteran jurist Dr Kamal Hossain said the arrested students should be granted bail. “Bail is a matter of rights, not a matter of mercy.”
He said students always work to mobilise public opinion and wage movements on different important and time-befitting issues. “We’ve always encouraged this practice. So, the students should be granted bail.”
Mentioning that the judiciary has a long tradition of granting bail to student leaders, he said even the lower court played a courageous role in giving bail to students in the past.
“We can recall that leaders had been taken to jail for their various remarks during the tough movements in the past. But they were given bail by the court immediately after filing petitions.”
He said people had been kept in jail by implicating them in Agartala conspiracy case. “We then showed the power of court by securing bail for them. “The lower court used to grant bail whoever was caught in the past.”
Speaking at the press conference, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said getting bail is people’s human and legal right. “Now our main problem is that judges are no longer driver by conscience. They’re heavily controlled by the government and the police.
He said it has been over a month since the cases were filed against the students, but they are not being granted bail. “Five similar cases were filed and it’s necessary to get bail in all the cases which is a long trial process. A specific directive should be given by the Chief Justice in this regard.”
Stating that eid will be celebrated within a few days, he urged the Chief Justice to ensure bail for the students before the festival exercising the judiciary’s constitutional power. “It must be remembered that these students have been created today's Bangladesh. The Bengali language was established as the students waged the language movement.”
Earlier, Dhaka University teacher Prof Asif Nazrul read out the letter sent to the Chief Justice by the 18 eminent on citizens on May 5 in this regard.
Freedom fighter Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki, writer and anthropologist Rehnuma Ahmed, noted photographer Shahidul Alam, and former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) Nurul Haque Nur, among others, spoke at the programme.
Eighteen noted citizens who sent the letter to the Chief Justice include Dr Kamal Hossain, Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, Dr Zafrullah, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Abur Rob, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Badiul Alam Majumder, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Rehnuma Ahmed, Dr Reza Kibria, Asif Nazrul and Zonayed Saki.
Govt mulls resuming public transport services
The government is working on a plan to allow the public transport to resume operations once the current lockdown is over, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday.
The minister said this at a views-exchange meeting with the officials of Barishal Road Zone, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
Quader joined the meeting virtually from his official residence.
Also read: Govt allows public transport to operate during lockdown
Bus owners and workers will face toughest action if any bus carries passengers more than 50 percent of its capacity or charges additional fare, the minister warned.