Sampadak Parishad concerned over case against two editors

Sampadak Parishad (Editors' Council) has expressed deep and serious concern over the filing of a case against bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi and Jagonews24.com acting editor Mohiuddin Sarker under the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA).

It also demanded immediate withdrawal of the case, according to a statement from the Parishad issued by its President Mahfuz Anam and Secretary General Naem Nizam.

Mominul Islam Bhasani, president of Thakurgaon's Baliadangi upazila Swechhasebak League, filed the case on Friday night after the online news portals ran reports on misappropriation of OMS rice in the upazila recently.

In the case statement, Mominul accused the two editors of "deliberately publishing false and defamatory news". Two Facebook users named Shawan Amin and Rahim Shuvo were also accused in the case filed with Baliadangi Police Station.

The Sampadak Parishad statement said, "We are further concerned by the fact that cases have been filed under the draconian DSA without issuing any rejoinder or lodging any compliant with the Press Council whose job is to deliberate on such matters."

At a time when the media along with the government is working round the clock against severe odds to fight the coronavirus pandemic, such efforts to harass and intimidate the media is highly regrettable, the statement said.

"We demand immediate withdrawal of the case against the two aforementioned editors and urge all concerned to desist from such practice of attempting to stifle the media," it added.

Earlier on Monday, rights group Ain O Salish Kendra and a faction of Dhaka Union of Journalists also demanded withdrawal of the case filed against the four persons, including the two editors.