Case filed against 7 journos in Ctg under cyber security law

A former coordinator of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) has filed a case under the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 against seven journalists in Chattogram.

The case was lodged on Thursday afternoon with Chattogram Cyber Tribunal, presided over by Judge Kazi Mizanur Rahman.

The plaintiff, Md Riduan alias Riduan Siddiqui, is a former coordinator of ADSM. 

The accused in the case are Hossain Thoufique Ifthekher, editor of Daily Chattogram Pratidin; Shahidullah Shahriar, bureau chief of Jugantor in Chattogram; Nasir Uddin Haider, senior associate editor of Samakal; Ratan Kanti Debashish, former senior vice-president of Chittagong Union of Journalists; Mohsin Kazi, joint secretary general of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists; Sabur Shuvo, bureau chief of Ajker Patrika in Chattogram and Chowdhury Farid, bureau chief of Channel i in Chattogram.

According to sources, the case was filed over a Facebook post by a journalist. In the complaint, Riduan Siddiqui alleged that the post contained religious or ethnic incitement in cyberspace under the amended Sections 26(1) and 26(2) of the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025.

The court has ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the complaint and submit a report by May 5.

Meanwhile, president of the Chittagong Union of Journalists Riaz Haider Chowdhury strongly condemned and protested the filing of the case against journalists under the cyber law.

In a statement, he said filing cases against journalists for performing their professional duties is a deliberate act of harassment and a clear interference with media freedom, as well as an attempt to suppress freedom of expression. 

He demanded the immediate withdrawal of what he described as false and harassing cases and warned that if such actions against journalists continue, the journalist community will be compelled to take united and strict action.

SH