IFJ expresses concern over case against Bangladesh editors

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed serious concern about the case filed against Bangladesh's two popular online news portal's editors under the Digital Security Act for running news stories on alleged misappropriation of the relief rice meant to be distributed to vulnerable people amid the Covid-19 outbreak. 

The IFJ also urged authorities to review their decision.

Mohiuddin Sarker, acting editor of Jagonews24.com, and Toufique Imrose Khaledi, editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com, and two other reporters have been accused in the case.

Mominul Islam Bhashani, president of Thakurgaon's Baliadangi upazila unit Swechchhasebak League, an associate body of the ruling Awami League, filed the case against the duo, and two local correspondents- Shawon Amin and Rahim Shuvo- on April 18.

The editors were accused of publishing baseless news regarding involvement of Mominul and his brother in a rice relief theft scam. Mominul claimed that the news tarnished his image and that of his party- the Awami League. Shawon Amin and Rahim Shuvo were sued when they uploaded Facebook posts referring to Mominul as ‘rice thief’.

The Bangladsh government has introduced a scheme to sell relief-rice at Tk 10 per kilogram to 5 million poor households across the country, but the scheme is tainted with irregularities. 

Some public representatives and Open Market Sale (OMS) dealers have been embezzling the relief- rice. Police arrested many people including public representatives in connection with the rice theft scam and recovered thousands of sacks of rice.  

The Digital Security Act, under which the editors and the reporters have been sued, was enacted in September 2018 despite widespread criticism. The much-debated Digital Security Act 2018 has a provision of 14 years of imprisonment for those expressing views on digital platforms that the authorities may deem defamatory or subversive.

IFJ said: “Incidents of media rights violation have steadily increased in Bangladesh. The current case filed against two editors and two reporters under controversial Digital Security act is a blatant attempt to block the media from reporting on the scam. In the interests of public interest journalism, the IFJ calls on the authorities to immediately throw out the case”.