Arrest warrants against Bangladesh Pratidin ex-editor Naem Nizam, 2 others

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against former Bangladesh Pratidin editor Naem Nizam and two others in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.

Judge Noor-e-Alam of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal today (27 July) passed the order following a hearing.

The other accused are Bangladesh Pratidin publisher Moynal Hossain Chowdhury and Bangla Insider editor-in-chief Syed Borhan Kabir. 

"The accused were summoned to appear before the court today (27 July), but they failed to do so. Following a plea from the plaintiff, the court issued arrest warrants against them," the tribunal's Public Prosecutor Rafiqul Islam said.

The tribunal also fixed 28 August as the date for submitting a report on compliance of its order, he added. 

The prosecutor also said the CID on 20 November last year submitted its investigation report against the accused. On 2 June this year, the court accepted the charge sheet and summoned them to appear before it on 27 July. 

Earlier, Barrister M Sarwar Hossain on 15 February 2022 filed the case under DSA against seven people including Naem Nizam for "spreading falsehood intentionally". 

According to the case details, on 7 September 2021, Bangladesh Pratidin published a news headlined "Nusrat's conspiracy case against the Bichchhu Shamshu Syndicate again," which also appeared on its online version. 

The report claimed that Barrister M Sarwar was acting as Nusrat's lawyer and alleged that he was involved in the 21 August grenade attack. It further accused him of being a key figure in an anti-state propaganda network and allegations tied to Mosarat Jahan Munia murder case.  

However, in his complaint, Sarwar clarified that he is not Nusrat's lawyer and only participated in the hearing. 

The case also cites another article titled "Who is Sarwar" published by Bangla Insider on 8 September that year, which he alleges was written with malicious intent.