A day after a journalist’s GD, a case has been filed against seven journalists in cyber court.

A total of seven people  including the former elected general secretary of ctg Press Club,  accused for click  “ha-ha” reaction in a Facebook post.

Charges have been filed under sections 26(1) and 26(2) of the Cyber ​​Security Ordinance 2025, which relate to inciting religious or ethnic hatred in cyberspace. The maximum penalty for this crime is five years in prison.

The case was filed in the court of Chittagong Cyber ​​Tribunal Judge Kazi Mizanur Rahman on Thursday (March 12) afternoon. The court has assigned the investigation of the case to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).

The seven journalists accused in the case are: Hossain Tawfiq Iftikhar, editor of Chittagong Pratidin, Shahidullah Shahriar, Chittagong bureau chief of Jugantor, 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 (BFUJ), Sabur Shuvo, general secretary of Chittagong Union of Journalists and Chittagong bureau chief of Ajker potrika, and Chowdhury Farid, Chittagong bureau chief of On Air Channel-i”.

The complaint states that,
On March 4, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan visited the Chittagong Press Club. On that day, the plaintiff on behalf of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Chittagong met the Information Minister at 1 pm. At that time, he demanded that judicial action be taken against the so-called journalists involved in the arson, vandalism and defamation of women activists and criminal offenses committed in the media in Chittagong. Later in the evening, a memorandum was given to the minister to take action in this regard.

Later that day, at 11 pm, plaintiff Md. Ridwan saw on social media that defendant Hossain Taufiq Iftikhar had posted on Facebook expressing hatred and malice against the plaintiff and the coordinators using a Facebook ID named Hossain Taufiq Iftikhar. In the post, accused Shahidullah Shahriar, Nasir Uddin Haider, Ratan Debashish and Mohsin Kazi made various comments and Sabur Shuvo and Chowdhury Farid reacted Ha Ha.

When asked about the allegations, editor of the Daily Chittagong Pratidin Hossain Taufiq Iftikhar said that journalists were not involved in the attacks and vandalism on the media. Journalists are also not aware of the harassment and oppression of women activists. On the contrary, on March 5, during a meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan at the Chittagong Circuit House, Ridwan Siddiqui and his associates, who introduced themselves as coordinators, led the attack on professional journalists by forming a mob.

Some journalists commented that the heat of tension from the Circuit House spread to Kazir Deuri intersection that day.

Despite not being involved in the journalism profession, the attack took place under his leadership.

Journalist Hossain Toufiq said that Ridwan Siddiqui and his associates are spreading false and defamatory propaganda against him on social media for protesting the incident and are threatening him with physical attacks through various means, which has raised concerns about his personal safety. He filed a general diary (GD) with the Kotwali police station on Wednesday (March 11) in this incident.

After the case was filed, he lamented on social media,

“This is the first cyber case against journalists during the BNP era.

During the Awami League era, I fought against 9 fabricated cases. I had hoped that the pen would be released in the new Bangladesh as well. But I got trapped in the same circle. Even during the BNP era, the first cyber case against journalists was filed in the name of me and six colleagues.”

A so-called ‘coordinator’ from Fatikchhari joined the student party overnight and is now threatening us with 5 years in prison on the charge of religious and ethnic incitement. Those who created a mob and occupied the press club or led the attack on the police station a few days ago, now want to silence our voices by abusing the law.
When even the leaders of the kidnapping and extortion business dare to harass journalists, how long will we have to pay the price of telling the truth?”

Who is this Ridwan…?

The case was filed by Ridwan Siddiqui, former joint convener of the Chittagong Metropolitan Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Ridwan is the son of Abdur Rahim of Shah Siddiq Bari of Nanupur Union of Fatikchhari Police Station.

Ridwan Siddiqui’s first political identity was “Shibir Tag” when he was in the Student Rights Council, after which he joined the anti-discrimination student movement and is currently working for the Chhatra Dal. He wrote in a Facebook post, “My first identity is that I am a pro-Bangladesh, that is, a Bangladeshi. Then I am a Muslim who believes in pro-Sufi thought.
Just as 71 is a source of pride for me, 24 is a source of pride for me. Because, the great war of independence and liberation of 1971 is our roots, similarly the anti-discrimination student movement of 2024 is our existence. “Existence without roots has no value.”

He further wrote— “Those who can do politics while embracing Bangladesh and its great independence will be our political friends.” “Our future path will be with them.”

Various media sources say that the Chittagong Press Club has issued a statement on this issue, but the question is which press club is this? Currently, the president of the press club is Amar Desh newspaper’s resident editor Jahedul Karim Kochi, and the general secretary is Advocate Golam Maula Murad. Basically, those who are currently in charge of the press club have not commented on this issue. However, several members of the Chittagong Press Club are happy about this case and have also published it on social media Facebook.

As mentioned by various media sources:—

” In a joint statement, BFUJ Vice President Shahidul Alam, Chittagong Press Club President Salahuddin Mohammad Reza, General Secretary Debdulal Bhowmik and Chittagong Journalists Union President Riaz Haider Chowdhury expressed deep concern.

They said, ‘Even under a democratically elected government, opportunistic groups seem to be trying to curtail freedom of speech and freedom of the press.’

The leaders urged the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and media organizations.

Meanwhile, many of the defendant journalists in the case said that Riduan Siddiqui played a strong role in occupying the Chittagong Press Club, and harassed the then officer-in-charge of Patiya police station in Chittagong by creating a mob.

So the question is, who are the people currently in the Press Club…? Are they journalists or occupiers?