The Detective Branch (DB) of Bogura police has arrested a journalist in connection with a case filed under the Cyber Security Act over a series of reports that allegedly defamed State Minister for LGRD Mir Shahe Alam.
The journalist, Md Rezanur Islam, acting editor of daily Agrajatra Pratidin, also faces extortion allegations.
Law enforcers arrested Rezanur in Gazipur on Thursday night, said Iqbal Bahar, inspector of Bogura DB police. Rezanur is from Basura village in Joydebpur, Gazipur.
Judge Abdullah Al Mamun of Bogura Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court sent him to jail yesterday after he was produced before the court, said Atowar Rahman, additional superintendent of police (Media Wing), Bogura.
Another journalist, Tanvir Alam Rimon, treasurer of Bogura Press Club, filed the case with Bogura Sadar Police Station on Wednesday.
Besides Rezanur, the case accused Mehedi Hasan, editor and publisher of Agrajatra Pratidin; Ashraf Ali Faruki, news editor; Saleh Kaiser, reporter; Shams, Bogura correspondent; and Md Sabbir Hasan, district correspondent, said Bogura Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Ibrahim Ali.
According to the case statement, Agrajatra Pratidin published a report on its Facebook page on May 4 under the headline, “State Minister Mir Shahe Alam in corruption controversy”, which the complainant described as defamatory, false and fabricated.
It further alleged that another “defamatory and false” report was published on June 11 under the headline, “Forgery of corrupt state minister with the prime minister exposed in Bogura.”
After Shahe Alam, who was elected from Bogura-2, held a press conference at Bogura Press Club, the newspaper published another report on June 12 titled, “Now the State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, controversial in ‘road incident’, advises journalists”, according to the case statement.
It also alleged that while preparations were underway to file a case over the reports, Agrajatra Pratidin Editor Mehedi contacted Tanvir via WhatsApp and demanded Tk 20 lakh.
The case statement alleged that Mehedi threatened to defame both Tanvir and the state minister if the money was not paid.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a relative of Rezanur said, “A bail petition was moved for Rezanur [on Friday], but the court rejected it and sent him to jail. The judge has fixed Sunday for the next hearing.”
Before the cyber security case was filed, Tanvir had attempted to file another case on June 13 with Bogura Sadar Cognizance Court over the same matter against four journalists.
That complaint accused four people, including Agrajatra Pratidin Editor Mehedi, of making misleading and defamatory allegations against the state minister.
However, court sources said Senior Judicial Magistrate Mehdi Hasan returned the complaint during the hearing due to technical issues related to certain legal provisions and asked for corrections. The plaintiff did not refile the case in court.
Asked about the matter, Tanvir’s lawyer Abdul Wahab told The Daily Star, “The court case was later corrected and filed as a regular case with the police station, and an accused was arrested.”
Meanwhile, State Minister Shahe Alam expressed regret over the incident involving the Agrajatra Pratidin journalists and said no one should take legal action, issue statements, or undertake any initiative on his behalf.
In a press release issued yesterday and signed by his Press Secretary Md Atikur Rahman, he expressed hope that the arrested journalist would be released soon.
