Two journalists sued under DSA in Savar
A case has been filed with Savar Model Police Station against two journalists, including the editor of local newspaper Daily Phulki, under the Digital Security Act.
The plaintiff in the case is Md Shahinur Islam, a resident of Shyampur in Birulia in Savar, and occasional journalist.
On Thursday (27 July), a report was published in the Daily Phulki about the resignation of Cambodia's prime minister titled "Asia's longest-serving prime minister is finally resigning". Accompanying the story, a photo of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was published by mistake instead of the Cambodian prime minister. The next day (28 July), an erratum was published in the newspaper apologising for the mistake.
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Shahinur Islam filed a case under the Digital Security Act with Savar Model Police Station on Saturday morning accusing the newspaper's editor Nazmus Shakib and the Savar correspondent of 'Amader Natun Samay' Md Imdadul Haque.
The latter expressed shock when asked about the allegations: "I have no connection with the Daily Phulki. I have been working as a correspondent for Amader Natun Samay for a long time. I don't know who filed the case against me for any heinous motive."
Confirming the matter, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station Deepak Chandra Saha said, "On July 27, the newspaper published a fabricated, baseless news using the picture of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina under the title 'Asia's longest-serving prime minister is finally resigning.'"
Shahinur Islam filed the case alleging that such news has been published with the intention of tarnishing the image of the media and further inciting the political situation, the officer added.
Nazmus Shakib, president of Savar Press Club and editor of the Dainik Phulki, said, "The picture of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was mistakenly published with the Cambodian prime minister's resignation news. The corrigendum was published the next day on 28 July, apologising for the mistake."
"I have been named as an accused in the case along with a journalist of another newspaper. If the voice of the press is suppressed in this way, it will be difficult to publish newspapers in the country," Shakib added.
