BSRF concerned over DSA case against Jugantor journalist

The Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) on Thursday expressed deep concern over the case filed under the Digital Security Act against its member, Mahbubul Alam Lavlu, at a Chattogram court on Wednesday, reports news agency UNB.

According to a media release signed by the forum’s president Tapan Biswas and general secretary Masudul Hoque, it strongly condemned the move.

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the case, the forum said the way former leader of Chattogram city unit Jubo League, Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar, filed the case against Lavlu, a special correspondent of ‘Dainik Jugantor’, is an attack on journalism.

Jubo League is the youth wing of ruling Awami League.

The case was filed at the court of Chattogram Divisional Cyber Tribunal judge Mohammad Zahirul Kabir on Wednesday.

Taking the case into cognisance, the court ordered the Counter Terrorism Unit to investigate into it.

According to the case statement, Babar is the former deputy finance secretary of the central Jubo League.

Journalist Lavlu recently published a report in Jugantor titled, ‘Dubai-returnee and top criminal of Chattogram … rail held hostage by Shah Alam Syndicate’.

He (Lavlu) shared the report from his personal Facebook ID. In the report, Helal Akbar was referred to as an extortionist, occupier and godfather of goons.

The Jubo League leader alleged in the case that he was defamed by the report with false information.