Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said the Digital Security Act (DSA) was misused in the Naogaon incident, where a woman was detained and later she died in RAB custody.
"I want to say something very clearly. There was no DSA case against the lady (Sultana Jasmine) when she was picked up (by RAB). It was a misfortune and obviously tragic. The case was filed the next day. So, the DSA was misused here," the minister said while talking to newsmen at the Secretariat here this noon.
"Yes, the act is being misused in one or two cases. We are taking action. Wherever we are learning about misuse, we are taking steps to stop the misuse," he added.
Replying to a question on arresting daily Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams in a DSA case, Anisul Huq said, "The cases, which were filed and are being filed, are not against the journalists, these are against wrongdoing. If you (journalists) publish facts for the people, this government will not stop you in any way."
DUJA expresses concern over Shamsuzzaman’s arrest
The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association (DUJA) has expressed deep concern over the picking up of Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams by Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
In a joint statement on Thursday, its President Mamun Tushar and General Secretary Sirajul Islam Rubel said, "The incident of picking up journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams from his residence by the law enforcement agency without any formal complaint or warrant is worrying.
“We believe that such incidents are a threat to the country's independent journalism and freedom of media."
It further reads, "Any complaint against anyone can be addressed through normal legal process. Without doing so, the incident of picking up of a journalist from his house early in the morning is not desirable at all.
“We believe that there should be sincere cooperation of authorities of the government to uphold the freedom of media recognised by the constitution. At the same time, we demand the release of all the journalists arrested under the Digital Security Act and justice for the attacks and torture on journalists in the country at various times.”
Prothom Alo's reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams, working in Savar near capital Dhaka, was picked up from his house in Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University in the early hours of Wednesday morning by the CID accusing him of publishing a “false” and “fabricated” report.
The statement mentions, "Jahangirnagar University Chief Security Officer Sudipta Shaheen was with the CID when Shamsuzzaman Shams was picked up. He also admitted that CID members called the owner of the house where Shamsuzzaman lives when he was picked up from home.
“They told the owner of the house that the state has objections regarding a report made by Shamsuzzaman and he is being taken for questioning."
