The High Court granted a six-week anticipatory bail to Prothom-Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman in a case filed against him under the Digital Security Act at Ramna police station.
Sunday (2 April) the bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Aminul Islam passed the order. Lawyers Fida M Kamal, Z.I. Khan Panna, Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Prashant Kumar Karmkar appeared for the petition in the court. Additional Attorney General Mehdi Hasan Chowdhury and Deputy Attorney General Sujit Chatterjee were for the state. Defendant’s Counsel submitted the petition for anticipatory bail on Sunday morning.
A lawyer named Abdul Malek Mashiur Malek, 61, filed the case against Matiur Rahman, reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, an unnamed assistant cameraman, and unnamed others on March 29 with Ramna Police Station. Malek accused them of using print, online, and electronic media to tarnish the image and reputation of the state, according to the FIR. The FIR also mentioned that the accused spread falsehood on purpose to deteriorate law and order. The case was filed under the sections 25, 31 and 35 of the DSA.
Among the accused, Shams is now in police custody.
TDM/FMT
