Journo sued under DSA over FB post on extortion
A case has been filed against a journalist under the Digital Security Act in Jhalakathi over making comments on a Facebook post.
The accused, lawyer Akkas Sikder, is the general secretary of Jhalakathi Press Club and also district correspondent of Channel 24, a private TV channel.
Sharmin Moushumi Keka, organising secretary of Jhalakathi Awami League, lodged the case with Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station on Wednesday night, said Khalilur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the station.
The matter is being investigated, the OC added.
Akkas commented on a Facebook post about the home and bridges ministers' alleged involvement in extortion in Pashurhaton July 15, which tarnished the image of the party, said Nazmun Zaman, sub-inspector and investigation officer of the case, citing the case statement.
Contacted, Akkas, however, alleged that the case was lodged by the AL leader over a personal grudge.
"In September last year, I reported on local AL leader Sharmin Moushumi Keka over humiliating a woman by cutting her hair, and setting up a stall after demolishing a Shaheed Minar on a school compound. She has a grudge against me over this issue," Akkas said.
"Keka was accused in a case filed over humiliating the woman with a Jhalakathi court on September 17," he added.
Jhalakathi Press Club denounced the case filed against Akkas under the DSA.
Meanwhile, rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh demanded immediate withdrawal of the case filed against Akkas under the DSA.
In a statement, its President Manzill Murshid and Secretary Md Sarwar Ahad, both lawyers, said the trend of filing such cases for political gains has increased day by day in different areas in the country.
This trend will not only weaken the law but also lose its credibility, they said, adding that the misuse of the DSA for damaging the freedom of expression or malafide intention needs to be prevented.
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