Journo arrested in case filed by Khulna city mayor

Prothom Alo illustration

A journalist on Tuesday night was arrested in a case filed under Digital Security Act (DSA) by Khulna City Corporation mayor and president of ruling Awami League’s Khulna city unit, Talukder Abdul Khaleque.

Abu Tayab is the Khulna bureau chief of NTV, a private television channel. He was arrested around 10:00pm from his residence in Nurnagar, Khulna.

Earlier, around 4:00pm on the day, Talukder Abdul Khaleque filed the lawsuit under the Digital Security Act with Khulna Sadar police station. The case was filed on allegation of spreading negative propaganda against the mayor on social media with false information.

Khulna sadar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Ashraful Alam said a case was filed against Abu Tayab under the Digital Security Act for spreading negative propaganda against Khulna city mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque on Facebook. The journalist has been arrested in the case, he added.

Abdul Khaleque said Abu Tayab spread false news of corruption against him in the last few days which has smeared his longtime political image. That’s why the case has been filed, he added.

Earlier, on 1 January 2019, Khulna district correspondent of news portal Bangla Tribune, Hedayet Hossain Molla, was arrested in a case filed under the Digital Security Act for publishing a report on “discrepancy” in the results of parliament election. Khulna correspondent of Manabzamin, Rashedul Islam, was also made accused in the case, filed by Batiaghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer Debashish Chowdhury.