bdnews24.com, jagonews24.com editors sued in digital security case

bdnews24.com’s Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Jago News acting Editor Mohiuddin Sarker and two others – Shaon Amin and Rahim Shubho—have been sued under the Digital Security Act in a case over a report on the alleged embezzlement of aid in Thakurgaon’s Baliadangi upazila.

Mominul Islam Bhasani, president of Swechchhasebak League’s Baliadangi unit, started the case on Friday.

Sub-Inspector Ram Babu Roy was tasked with the investigation, Baliadangi police chief Habibul Haque Prodhan said on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.

The charges have been brought under Sections 25, 29 and 31 of the law that involve offences, such as publishing of offensive, false, defamatory or fear-inducing data or information.

bdnews24.com on Apr 9 reported that Moniruzzaman Mukul, the publicity and publication secretary of Baliadangi upazila Jubo League, called national emergency helpline 999 after he discovered that rice for the government’s Tk 10 OMS programme was being transported early in the morning to Kusholdangi market of Parua village under Barapolashbari union.

Upazila chief executive or UNO Khairul Alam Sumon later went to the site, seized 68 sacks of rice and detained the transporters. Information from the transporters led to the recovery of another 562 sacks of rice from a warehouse, owned by Amirul Islam Emrul, a local dealer.

“As the case has been filed, we will take the next steps after consulting our lawyer,” a bdnews24.com spokesperson said.