Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday came down heavily on the Prothom Alo saying that the Bengali language daily is the enemy of her ruling Awami League party, democracy and the people of the country. “The name of the paper is Prothom Alo (first light), but it lives in darkness. Prothom Alo is the enemy of Awami League, democracy and the   people of the country,” she told the parliament.   The premier made the remarks, joining the discussion on a motion placed by her in the House, marking the 50 years (Golden Jubilee) of the Bangladesh National Parliament. This was also her valedictory speech in the 22nd session of the current parliament. She said the newspaper asked a 7-year old child to tell a lie, handing him Tk 10. They recorded his remark –-‘We want freedom of rice, fish and meat’--- and published it. “I am very sorry to say that they never want the stability to remain in this country,” she said.  Hasina said the newspaper was very glad in 2007 when the emergency was declared and two newspapers got engaged wholeheartedly. In an obvious reference to Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, she said, “A loan shark was with them (the newspapers). He is very a favourite person of the USA.” The PM said the USA never raised the question how this person, who was the managing director of Grameen Bank, a statutory firm, got millions of dollars. “He (Dr Yunus) runs social business in a place like the USA and makes investments at home and abroad. Did they (the USA) ever want to know from where the MD, who used to draw salary from the government, got millions of dollars? They didn’t” she said. “Now we have to hear words (lesson) from them about corruption and the fight against corruption. And about human rights,” she said.    These people (Dr Yunus and others) tried to destroy democracy in this country and played ducks and drakes with the fate of the people. The PM criticised the USA saying that the country talks against corruption, but they’ve been advocating for convicted persons in graft charges. “They want to bring such a government here, scraping democracy, which would have no democratic existence –-- (that means) undemocratic trend,” she said, adding that “some local (so-called) intellectuals who live on selling their intellects obey them.” She said the USA has been sheltering Bangabandhu’s convicted killer Rashed Chowdhury ignoring requests from Bangladesh on many occasions for deporting him. Talking about the Article 70 of the Constitution that prevents floor crossing by an MP, the prime minister said this has created the scope for a government to complete its tenure in the country. “Many people raise objections to Article 70. Those who raise this objection probably lack experience. But this article 70 has helped stability of the government in our country. As a result, the country has been able to witness development,” she said. She said the Jukta Front government of 1954 did not survive due to floor crossing by elected representatives. Earlier the same game was played in 1946. The PM said she believes and the people of the country also believe that the AL government has been able to change the fate of the people as it has been in power for 14 years in a row. “Now the difference between villages and cities has reduced…..We are providing civic amenities to every village,” she said. The premier raised a comparative scenario regarding the socio-economic development in many indicators between 2006 (at the fag-end of BNP-Jamaat regime) and 2022. She said the per capita income rose to US$ 2,824 in 2022 from only US$ 543 in 2006, while the size of GDP to Tk 4600,000 crore from Tk 415,072 crore, the size of budget to Tk 678,064 crore from Tk 61,000 crore, the size of annual development programme to Tk 227,566 crore from Tk 21,500 crore, the reserve of foreign currencies to US$ 32.63 billion from US$ 0.74 billion, the export income to US$ 52.97 billion from US$ 10.05 billion, the remittance inflow to US$ 21.03 billion from US$ 4.8 billion, the allocation against the social safety sector to Tk 113,576 crore from Tk 2,505 crore, the life expectancy to 73 years from 59 years, the access to drinking water to 98.7 percent from 55 percent, the electricity generation to 25,227 megawatt from 3,882 megawatt, the beneficiary of electricity in the country to 100 percent from 28 percent, the literacy rate to 75.6 percent from 45 percent. The PM said the economic growth was 5.40 percent in 2006 which rose to 7.50 percent in 2022, the inflation was at 10 percent in 2006 which came down to 5.5 percent in 2019 and 8.57 percent in 2022 She said the poverty rate declined to 20.5 percent in 2022 from 41.51 percent in 2006, the extreme poverty rate to 10 percent from 25.1 percent, the child mortality rate per thousand births to 21 persons from 84, the mother mortality rate per 100 thousand births to 161 from 370. PM Hasina also highlighted the massive development of Bangladesh in the digital arena.

A Dhaka court on Monday (April 03, 2023) granted bail to Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA). Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur granted the bail on a bond of Tk 20,000. A Dhaka court on Thursday sent him to jail rejecting his bail petition. Another petition was filed on Monday seeking bail. Later, the journalist was shifted to Kashimpur Central Jail from Keraniganj on March 31. Meanwhile, he was taken back to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj from Kashimpur Central Jail on April 1. Also read: Journalist Shamsuzzaman taken back to Dhaka Central Jail On March 29, members of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in plainclothes picked up Shams from his residence in Ambagan area, adjacent to Jahangirnagar University, around 4:30 am. The same day, a Jubo League leader filed a case under the Digital Security Act against Shams, accusing him of publishing a "false and fabricated report" on the Prothom Alo website. On March 29, an FIR was filed by a lawyer named Abdul Malek (Mashiur Malek), accusing Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, 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.” Read More: Prothom Alo Editor seeks anticipatory bail in DSA case, hearing yet to begin The High Court on Sunday (April 02, 2023) granted six weeks anticipatory bail to Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.

A petition for anticipatory bail for Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman has been submitted to the High Court in a case filed under Digital Security Act. The case was filed with Dhaka’s Ramna Police Station on March 29. Defendant’s Counsel Prashanta Kumar Karmakar told UNB that they submitted the petition for anticipatory bail earlier this morning. At the time of filing this report around 11am, hearing regarding the petition is yet to start, he said. Read More: Prothom Alo journo offered a child Tk 10 and expressed his views in the minor’s name: Foreign Ministry On March 29, 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. Read More: Prothom Alo journalist Shams denied bail, sent to jail 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. Read More: Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman sued under DSA Multiple national and international bodies including Editors’ Council, Editors’ Guild of Bangladesh, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) and the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) have published separate statements condemning the arrest of Shams.

The government of Bangladesh has said as a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child it would not tolerate any act of abusing children, noting that Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams was arrested because of “child abuse and exploitation”. "The government would also not accept any such effort aimed at maligning the Independence Day of the nation," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today (April 01, 2023). The government of Bangladesh is committed to uphold the freedom of expression for all its citizens and the media, the foreign ministry said. Read More: Prothom Alo journalist Shams denied bail, sent to jail However, it said, creating social unrest by undertaking such “fraudulent acts” is contrary to the spirit of honest journalism. The ministry said it has been brought to the notice of the government that some international media and institutions are claiming that a journalist in Bangladesh, named Shamsuzzaman, has been arrested as he wrote about the “cost of living in Bangladesh”. "This information is totally false and fabricated. This journalist was arrested because of ‘child abuse’ and ‘child exploitation," the foreign ministry said. Many media outlets have been continuously reporting on the cost of living in Bangladesh since the beginning of the Ukraine war which has caused inflation around the world. Read More: Prothom Alo journalist Shams taken to court "No one has been arrested due to such reporting. The said journalist was arrested because of child abuse and child exploitation, as he offered ten taka to a 9-year-old boy and then expressed his own views in the name of that child," the ministry said. "That is surely an act of child abuse and exploitation. Secondly, he tried to undermine the independence of Bangladesh on the great Independence Day. These acts are surely tantamount to punishable crimes," the foreign ministry said. Read More: Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman sued under DSA

Voicing deep concern over suing one after another against journalists, including Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, under the Digital Security Act (DSA), BNP on Thursday alleged that the government has been carrying out extreme repression by using the ‘black’ law to gag the media.   In a statement, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam demanded the immediate repeal of the Digital Security Act and the withdrawal of all cases filed against journalists. After picking up Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams by law enforcers early Wednesday, Fakhrul said a case was filed against the editor of the newspaper, Matiur Rahman, on Wednesday late night under the DSA. Besides, he said a Jubo League leader filed another case under the DSA against Daily Jugantor's Special Correspondent and ex-general secretary of Crime Reporters’ Association Mahbub Alam Lavllu in Chattogram. The BNP leader strongly protested and denounced the filing of the cases against the journalists under the DSA on ‘false’ charges. “Filing of cases one after the other against journalists, including Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, under the DSA a severe blow to the freedom of expression,” he observed. Read more: Prothom Alo journalist Shams denied bail, sent to jail Fakhrul alleged that the government has demonstrated that it wants to bury democracy forever by filing a case under the Digital Security Act against Matiur Rahman, one of the country's leading newspaper editors. By suing journalists under the DSA, he said the government wants to send out a message to the country’s people that the government's activities cannot be criticised and opinions cannot be expressed freely. “The Awami League government is continuing its terrible misrule in the country by indiscriminately repressing and suppressing the media, the fourth pillar of the state,” the BNP leader said.  He also said the case against Matiur Rahman was undoubtedly filed at the behest of the government. Fakhrul said the country’s people and the media have got panicked due to the killing and repression of journalists across the country.

A Dhaka court on Thursday (March 30, 2023) sent Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams to jail in a case filed under the Digital Security Act after rejecting his bail petition. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Md Tofazzal Hossain turned down the bail petition. Earlier, Ramna Model Police Station Inspector Abu Ansar, also investigating officer of the case, requested the court for sending him to jail when Shams was produced before the court. Read More: CID arrested Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzan in a case: Home Minister Proshanto Kumar Karmakar, lawyer of Shamsuzzaman, appeared for the bail plea. On March 29, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) men in plainclothes picked up Shams from his residence in Ambagan area, adjacent to Jahangirnagar University, around 4:30 am. The same day, a Jubo League leader filed a case under the Digital Security Act against Shams, accusing him of publishing a "false and fabricated report" in the daily Prothom Alo. Read More: Prothom Alo journalist Shams taken to court

Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams was taken to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court today, in connection with a case filed against him under Digital Security Act. A team of police took him to the court today (March 30, 2023) around 10:10 am. Criminal Investigation Department (CID) men in plainclothes picked up Shams from his residence in Ambagan area, adjacent to Jahangirnagar University, around 4:30 am on Wednesday (March 29, 2023). The same day, a Jubo League leader filed a case under the Digital Security Act against Shams, accusing him of publishing a "false and fabricated report" in the daily Prothom Alo. Also read; Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman sued under DSA Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said that members of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the Prothom Alo reporter in a case. Meanwhile, opposition party BNP has denounced Shams' arrest, saying it is a "dreadful incident". Rights body Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation also condemned the arrest of the Prothom Alo journalist. Besides, editor of the leading daily Prothom Alo, Matiur Rahman, has been sued alongside other staff members under the Digital Security Act. Prothom Alo reported the development at 3:19 am today on its website. Read More: Prothom Alo editor sued under DSA

A case was filed against Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams under the Digital Security Act (DSA) on Wednesday afternoon, around 10 hours after he was picked up by CID members from his Savar residence. Auporbo Hasan, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police station, said Golam Kibria, a resident of the capital’s Mirpur area, filed the case accusing the journalist of publishing a fake and fabricated news on the country’s Independence Day. Besides, some unnamed individuals were made accused in the case, the OC said. According to the case statement, the plaintiff read a news on the website of the Prothom Alo while he was browsing internet in front of Al Raji Hospital in Framgate area around 1:32am on Wednesday. The news was also shared on its Facebook page. The report was published with a photo of a child holding flowers in hands in front of the National Mausoleum at Savar, said the case statement . The report said that the boy’s name is Jakir Hossain and he said, “What will I do with the independence if I don’t have rice to eat? I sweat when I go to market, we need freedom of fish, meat and rice.”   The news reported by Shamsuzzaman went viral on social media which tarnished the image of the country and triggered criticism at home and abroad, said the case statement.   Though the boy was named as Jakir Hossain in the Prothom Alo report, private television channel Ekattor.tv in an investigation found that the boy’s actual name is Sabju Ahmed and he is a class three student, it said. The Ekattor.tv report said that the boy did not say anything like “What will I do with the independence if I don’t have rice to eat? And the reporter took his photo after giving him Tk 10 The plaintiff said the Prothom Alo  report was motivated which used fake name and quotes.  Read more: Prothom Alo journalist ‘picked up by law enforcement agency’ He said like him many others at home and abroad were aggrieved by report the  it tarnished the image of the country. Moreover, there was a possibility of deterioration in law and order situation in the country over the matter, the case statement said. Earlier Shamsuzzaman Shams was picked up by CID members from his Savar residence around  4am on Wednesday. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at an event in the capital on Wednesday noon said the CID arrested him in a case but he could not mention in which case he was arrested.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday has said that members of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested vernacular daily Prothom Alo’s reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams in a case.   The minister came up with the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after an event at the ministry. “Police can take measures if anyone being aggrieved seeks justice and lodges case at police station,” he said. “However I am not fully clear about the matter but something happened centering the case,” the minister said.   Terming the Prothom Alo’s report as baseless, he said, “You journalists through Ekattor TV reported that the baseless news was prepared with ill motive.”  “I will inform you of the details after knowing all,” the minister added.  Read more: Prothom Alo journalist ‘picked up by law enforcement agency’ Earlier on Wednesday, Shamsuzzaman was picked up by CID members from his Savar residence. Witnesses and family members said 16 Criminal Investigation Department (CID) members in plainclothes picked him up from his residence in Ambagan area adjacent to Jahangirnagar University around 4:30 am.

Shamsuzzaman Shams, a reporter of Bangla daily Prothom Alo, was picked up allegedly by a law enforcement agency from his Savar residence early Wednesday (March 29, 2023). Witnesses and family members said 16 Criminal Investigation Department (CID) members in plainclothes reached in front of Shamsuzzaman’s residence in Ambagan area adjacent to Jahangirnagar University around 4:30 am. Later, seven-eight of them entered the house of the journalist and picked him up. They took him to Savar Bottola area where they have their ‘sehri’ at Nurjahan Hotel. Chief security officer of the university Sudipta Shaheen, and a security guard were also with them at the hotel. Read more: Journalist arrested under Digital Security Act in Khulna They also seized a laptop, two mobile phone sets and a portable hard disc after searching the room of Shamsuzzaman. Shamsuzzaman along with his mother has been living on the ground floor of the building in Ambagan area for the past one year. He is also the younger brother of Rabiul Karim, an assistant police commissioner who died in the Holey Artisan café attack in 2016. At 4:45 am, the CID members again went to the house of Shamsuzzaman along with him. Sub-inspector of Ashulia Police Station Md Raju and local journalist Ariful Islam were present there. Read more: Satkhira journalist, earlier ‘picked up by law enforcers’, shown arrested During their stay at the house for 5-7 minutes, Shamsuzzaman was asked to take some clothes. Later they again left the house with Shamsuzzaman. A police officer also told owner of the house Ferdous Alam that Shamsuzzaman wrote a report against the state and he was detained for interrogation. Azad Rahman, additional superintendent of CID (media), said “I have no idea about it and there is no information of any case filed against him.” Read More: ‘Strong possibility head injury led to brain haemorrhage, no sign of high blood pressure’: RMCH director on Jasmine Sultana’s death Md Quamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station, said he was not informed about the detention of Shamsuzzaman. “Investigation is on to find out Shamsuzzaman,” he said.