A journalist working for a prominent newspaper in Bangladesh was charged with producing false news on March 29th after his story on high food prices went viral. The journalist, Shamsuzzaman Shams, was charged under the Digital Security Act, which is considered draconian by many. The police picked him up from his residence in Savar town at 4:00 am, according to his newspaper Prothom Alo. He was charged with spreading false news that damaged the government’s image and for questioning Bangladesh’s achievements, according to a copy of the case file cited by AFP.
Asaduzzaman Khan, the Home Minister, confirmed that Shams had been questioned by the police for a false story published over the weekend. Khan stated that a case had been filed against him and added that he would be released from custody but could be arrested again over the charges. The story published by Prothom Alo last Sunday featured quotes from ordinary people discussing their lives on the occasion of Bangladesh’s Independence Day. One laborer was quoted as saying, “What is the use of this freedom if we can’t afford rice?”
According to AFP, the cost of food in Bangladesh has risen sharply since the middle of 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the taka has fallen significantly against the US dollar. The Digital Security Act has led to concerns that Bangladesh is becoming increasingly authoritarian under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A local think tank reported that almost 3,000 people, including 280 journalists, have been charged under the act since it was enacted in 2018. In the 2022 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Bangladesh was ranked 162 out of 180 countries.
The dwindling number of independent journalists in Bangladesh has come under increasing attack from the government in recent months. In February, authorities shut down the country’s lone opposition mouthpiece, claiming it violated press laws. At least ten journalists were beaten up by the police while covering a disputed election of Supreme Court lawyers in Dhaka.
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