Detective Branch (DB) of police on Monday submitted chargesheet against former DUCSU vice president (VP) Nurul Haque Nur in a case filed by musician Eliyas Hossain in the connection of abusing Awami League leaders and activist on Facebook live two years ago. Muhammad Saiful Islam, Inspector of DB cyber and special crime department and investigation officer of the case, applied for issuing arrest warrant showing Nur as a fugitive. The investigation officer filed the chargesheet on Monday as the crime appeared “primarily true” under Digital Security Act-2018, section 25/28/29/31 at Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on February 19. The order was given to transfer the case to the Cyber Tribunal for trial. The following judicial proceedings of the case will be held there. According to the chargesheet, the accused Nurul Haq Nur came on facebook live on 14 April 2021 and made “offensive, false, defamatory and provocative statements” against Awami League leaders and activists. It said his words also hurt religious sentiment and values. On April 19, 2021, musician Eliyas Hossain filed the case with Paltan Police Station as a plaintiff.

A case has been filed against three people including Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, chairman of election observation group Janipop,  under the Digital Security Act (DSA) over their comments involving an Awami League candidate in the Cumilla City Corporation (CCC) elections.  Convener of Cumilla City Jubo League Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahid filed the case with Cyber Tribunal Judge Zahirul Kabir on Wednesday. The two other accused are- BNP chairperson's adviser and former MP Monirul Haque Chowdhury and host of UK-based YouTube channel ‘Table Talk UK’ Hasina Akhtar. READ: HC stays trial against journo Kajol in 3 cases under DSA  The court directed the Cyber Crime Unit of police to investigate the allegations and submit a report by July 12, said plaintiff's lawyer Advocate Iftekhar Simul Chowdhury. As per the statement, Kalimullah commented in a recent talk show on YouTube that AL candidate in the Cumilla City Corporation election, Arfanul Haque Rifat, bought the nomination spending Tk 13 crore first, then Tk 20 crore, and finally Tk 60 crore.  The discussion was aired on YouTube on May 22 where Kalimullah and two others took part there. The plaintiff also alleged that the accused have tarnished their long standing political reputation by presenting such false information. Cumilla City Corporation elections will be held on June 15.

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday stayed for two months the trial proceedings of three cases filed against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol under the Digital Security Act . The HC bench of Justice ASM Abdul Mobin and Justice Md Atowar Rahman passed the order after hearing on Kajol’s petition. Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared for Kajol and deputy attorney general Sujit Chatterjee represented the state. At the same time, the HC sought all the documents of these cases from the lower court.  The High Court also fixed July 28 for hearing on these appeals. On February 1, barrister Jyotirmoy filed the petition with the High Court seeking a stay on the framing of charges against Kajol in the three DSA cases. On November 8 last year, the Cyber Tribunal in Dhaka framed charges against Kajol in three cases filed under the stringent law. READ: HC grants three more months for converting to digital set-top boxes Kajol went missing on March 10, 2020, a day after Magura-1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor filed a case against him and 31 others, including Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury. They were sued under the act for publishing and sharing an article on various social media platforms about expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia. Two other cases were filed against Kajol at Kamrangir Char and Hazaribagh police stations, respectively, under the same act on March 10 and 11 last year. After his 53 days of disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) near the Benapole border on May 3, 2020, and produced in a Jashore court the same day. Although the court granted him bail in the case, he was sent to jail as the Kotwali police brought another charge against him under Section 54 of CrPC. On November 24, 2020, the photojournalist secured bail in another case filed against him under the DSA. On December 17 that year, the High Court granted him bail in the remaining two cases filed under the DSA, clearing the way for his release. He was freed from Dhaka Central Jail on December 25 last year.

A case has been filed against a journalist under the Digital Security Act (DSA) over publishing a report on a local UP member in Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon. The accused is Nabin Hasan, Thakurgaon district correspondent of DBC Television and Daily Manabkantha. On Tuesday, Anwara Begum, reserved female ward member of Chilarang union of the upazila, filed the case at Thakurgaon Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court following a report on the UP member published on an online portal DBC Times. Later, Thakurgaon Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate S Ramesh Kumar Daga directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the matter. READ: Bagerhat lawyer sent to jail under DSA Meanwhile, the accused journalist said he has been mentioned as Thakurgaon correspondent of DBC Times in the case statement. But he is a Thakurgaon correspondent for DBC Television, not DBC Times. Thakurgaon PBI Additional Superintendent of Police ABM Rezaul Islam said they haven’t received the court order yet in this regard. “If received, we will investigate and submit a report to the court.”