Rumi Akter Polly of DOT
[3] The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed deep concern about the case filed against Toufiq Imroz Khalidi, editor-in-chief of Online Newsportal BDnews24.com and Mohiuddin Sarkar, acting editor of Jago News 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, reports Jago News.
[4] The IFJ also urged authorities to review their decision. [5] 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.
[6] The editors were accused of publishing baseless news regarding involvement of Mominul and his brother in a rice relief theft scam. [7] 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”.