Prothom Alo journalist Shams applied for bail again

Bail application of Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams has been filed in CMM Court in Digital Security Act case. The application was made on Monday (April 3) morning. According to court sources, the hearing is scheduled to be held in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Aminul Islam granted six weeks anticipatory bail to Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman in the same case yesterday (April 2) afternoon.

Earlier on Thursday (March 30), journalist Shams was brought to Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court and the court ordered him to be sent to jail. Police Inspector Abu Ansar of Ramna Police Station requested to keep journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams in jail until the real mystery of the report published in Prothom Alo is revealed.

On 29 March, an FIR was filed by a lawyer named Abdul Malek (Mashiur Malek), accusing Matiur Rahman, Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams, an unnamed "assistant cameraman", and unnamed others of "using print, online, and electronic media to tarnish the image and reputation of the state."

In the FIR, the lawyer also mentioned that the accused were "purposefully spreading misinformation to deteriorate the law and order situation of the country."

The case was filed under sections 25, 31 and 35 of the DSA.

The plaintiff said the news reported by Shamsuzzaman Shams went viral on social media which "tarnished the image of the country and triggered criticism at home and abroad."

Moreover, there was a possibility of deterioration in the law and order situation in the country over the matter, the case statement said.

Later, Shamsuzzaman Shams, the paper's Savar correspondent who wrote the report was sued in a separate case under the DSA on March 29, around 10 hours after being picked up from his house near Jahangirnagar University by members of the Criminal Investigation Department of police.