A sedition case has been framed against Director General (editing council) of Al Jazeera Television Dr Mostefa Souag, British journalist David Bergman, the Chief Editor of Netra News Tasneem Khalil and Hungary-based entrepreneur Zulkarnain Saer Khan alias Sami over the allegation of hatching conspiracy against Bangladesh by airing the report titled "All the Prime Minister's Men".
Moshiur Malek, founder and president of Bangabandhu Foundation, filed the case with the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate MD Ashek Imam on Wednesday.
Advocate Moshiur Malek confirmed the matter to the media today.
Earlier on February 10, the High Court (HC) appointed six senior lawyers as amici curiae (friends of the court) for expert opinions regarding to order the government to remove the contents of the report aired by Al Jazeera titled ‘All the Prime Minister’s Men’ from all social media including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
The six amici curiae are - Dr Shahdeen Malik, AJ Mohammad Ali, Kamal-ul-Alam, Abdul Matin Khasru, Fida M Kamal and Prabir Niyogi.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order on February 10 after hearing a writ petition in this matter.
Earlier on February 08, 2021, Md Anamul Kabir Emon, a Supreme Court lawyer and ruling Awami League’s Sunamganj district general secretary, filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to ban the broadcast of Al Jazeera television in Bangladesh.
Besides, the petitioner also sought another order to remove or delete Al Jazeera’s YouTube channel and website in Bangladesh where the links of the documentary and an article titled ‘The gangster, the general and the prime minister of Bangladesh’ have been posted.
Posts and telecommunications, information and communication technology secretaries, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman and the inspector general of police were made respondents to the writ petition.
Earlier, the Bangladesh government had dismissed it, calling it “false and defamatory” and a desperate “smear campaign” instigated by extremists and their allies, working in London and elsewhere.
Earlier Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said, "Bangladesh is looking into legal action against Qatar-based international news organisation Al Jazeera for what he termed "spreading misinformation".
Bangladesh Police Service Association and Bangladesh Army, among other professional bodies and organizations, also condemned the report titled “All the Prime Minister’s Men” as it stirred controversy.
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