DSA Case: 2 journalists convicted over ‘false reports’

A Dhaka tribunal yesterday convicted two journalists of the weekly Aparadh Bichitra in a DSA case filed over publishing false and defamatory news reports.

Those convicted are SM Morshed, editor of the weekly magazine, and its senior reporter Ezaz Rahman.

Judge AM Julfiker Hayet of the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka delivered the verdict while the two were present in the courtroom, Mamun Sikder, the tribunal's stenographer, told The Daily Star.

According to the judgement, Morshed was fined Tk 2 lakh, in default of which he would have to serve six months' imprisonment, while Ezaz was fined Tk 1 lakh, in default of which he would have to serve three months in jail.

During the trial, three prosecution witnesses testified.

On January 18, 2021, Islami Bank official Mohammad Moniruzzaman filed the case with the tribunal against three people, including Morshed and Ezaz, under the Digital Security Act.

In March 2022, the Criminal Investigation Department of police submitted a probe report before the tribunal, accusing Morshed and Ezaz. The CID, however, relieved the third accused from the case as the charges against her could not be proved during investigation.

On November 13 that year, the tribunal framed charges against the duo in the case.

According to the case documents, the weekly magazine in October, November and December 2020 published several reports about the plaintiff in both print and online versions, which contained false and defamatory information.

Later, its editor Morshed shared screenshots of the news on Facebook in December 2020.