Virtual troublemakers under the scanner

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has formed a cyber crime monitoring cell with an aim to identify virtual troublemakers who spread rumours through instigative posts and videos on different social media platforms to create anarchy, and bring them to book.

The five-member monitoring cell, headed by CMP's Counter Terrorism Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) (Operation) Polash Kanti Nath, was formed based on an order by CMP Commissioner Mahmubur Rahman on August 20, following a letter of Police Headquarters (PQ), said police officials.

The other members of the monitoring cell are Inspector Aftab Hossain, Sub-inspector (SI) Siben Biswas, SI Rashib Khan and SI Sanjoy Guha.

“The members of the cell will monitor suspected IDs on Facebook and other social media platforms to identify the troublemakers who share instigative and fake posts and videos as well as spread rumors from Chittagong,” ADC Polash Kanti Nath told The Daily Star.

“After getting the order, members of the monitoring cell have started working and identified several IDs on Facebook which are under the scanner of the monitoring cell,” said the ADC.

According to the official letter issued from the CMP headquarters signed by the deputy commissioner (DC) (Sadar), the monitoring cell would place its weekly findings directly to police headquarters every Sunday.

Several police officials say creating anarchy by spreading rumors or instigative post is not new, as law enforcing agencies witnessed several issues earlier. The intensity of the evil practice is getting high day by day, they said.

Seeking anonymity, a CMP official told The Daily Star, “The official order came following the rumours that led to clashes between police and students in the capital during the recent student protest demanding safe roads across the country.”

Earlier, CMP officials used to monitor Facebook IDs and other online activities in a scattered manner, but the work will be conducted precisely from now on after the formation of the cyber monitoring cell.