6 months anticipatory bail granted of Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman

Daily Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman got six months anticipatory bail after applying to the High Court in the Digital Security Act case.

Prothom Alo editor's lawyer Prashant Kumar Karmakar told the media that this anticipatory bail application was filed in the relevant branch of the High Court on Sunday (April 2).

On March 26, a day laborer's statement was quoted in a photo card of Prothom Alo. But that quote was accompanied by a picture of a child. However, Prothom Alo made corrections by withdrawing the photocard from the social media within 17 minutes, pointing out the inconsistency of publishing the child's photo with the quote of the day laborer.

In such a context, Prothom Alo's reporter Shamsuzzaman was picked up from his Savar's house on Wednesday at midnight. On the other hand, Jubo League Dhaka Metropolitan North Ward No. 11 General Secretary, Syed Md  Golam Kibria, filed a case against Shamsuzzaman under the Digital Security Act at Tejgaon police station in the capital.

nd on Wednesday midnight, another case was filed under the Digital Security Act. Apart from Shamsuzzaman Shams, the reporter of Prothom Alo, an associate camera person, and unidentified persons involved in the publication of the report were accused by Supreme Court Lawyer Abdul Malek in the Ramna Thana.

After appearing in court on Thursday morning, Shamsuzzaman was denied bail in the related case of Ramna police station and was sentenced to jail by the order of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Tofazzal Hossain of the Dhaka CMM Court. Shamsuzzaman is in jail since then.

The plaintiff in the Digital Security Act case complained that he was at the main gate of Shilpakala Academy at 9 pm on March 26 while browsing Facebook and saw a screenshot of a news from Daily Prothom Alo's online version.

The screenshot read, "What would I do with independence if my stomach was empty? The necessities of food are out of my reach..." Shamsuzzaman made a report on it where a child named Zakir said this. 

According to a TV media report, the kid alleged the reporter paid him 10 Taka and took his picture. Later, the picture was appeared in a Facebook post of Prothom Alo where the caption notified that the kid’s state of hunger makes independence looks meaningless.