Case filed over injustice, not against any media or journalist: Law minister

No case has been filed against any media or journalist in particular but rather against the injustice, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today referring to the recent Digital Security Act (DSA) case against the editor of Prothom Alo and a journalist working at the newspaper. 

"We have to take action against the incident of giving Tk10 to a child and fabricating his quote to tarnish the image of the government. The government isn't taking action against any media or journalist in particular but against the injustice," the minister said after attending a programme at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday (2 April).

"The Digital Security Act is needed, it has to be accepted. However, in many cases, complaints of harassment are coming regarding this law. If necessary, the government will take the initiative to add news rules or make some amendments," he added.

He said that a discussion and review in this regard is going on.

Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, correspondent Samsuzzaman Shams, an unnamed assistant cameraman and a few others, unnamed, were sued in the case lodged by Supreme Court Lawyer Abdul Malek alias Mashiur Malek at the Ramna Police Station around 11:10pm on Wednesday (29 March).

In the case dockets, they have been accused of "using print, online, and electronic media to tarnish the image and reputation of the state."

According to Shamsuzzaman's family, the reporter was detained from his Savar home by plainclothes men, identifying as police, around 4am and released at around 12:30pm on Wednesday in the capital's Agargaon area. But within 10 minutes of release, he was again picked up by the police and taken to the Ramna police station.

Shamsuzzaman Shams was transferred to Kashimpur Central Jail from the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on Friday (31 March) after a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, on Thursday (30 March), denied his bail plea in a case filed under the DSA.

Meanwhile, Matiur Rahman on Sunday (2 April) sought anticipatory bail from the High Court (HC) in the case filed against him under the DSA.

"An HC bench may hear the bail petition today (Sunday, 2 April)," Advocate Proshanto Kumar Karmakar, a counsel for Matiur Rahman, said after confirming the matter to The Business Standard.