A second case under the Digital Security Act was filed against journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol only hours after he was last seen or heard from on March 10.
Amnesty International, in a statement issued yesterday, said that around 10pm on 10 March, Usmin Ara Bailey, a party member of Awami League, filed a case against the missing journalist under sections 25, 26 and 29 of the Digital Security Act with Hazaribagh police station.
In the case, Kajol was accused of “extortion” by “obtaining information illegally” and publishing “false, intimidating and defamatory” information via Facebook.
Usmin Ara Bailey, in her statement, said that she had filed the case after consulting with senior leaders of the ruling party.
While talking to the human rights organization, Kajols's son Monorom Polok said: “When everyone else is worried about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, my family is worried about where my father is, and we cannot think about anything else. I hope no one has to live through this uncertainty.”
Earlier on March 9, a day before Kajol went missing, he along with Manabzamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury and 30 others, were accused in a case filed by Magura 1 constituency lawmaker Md Shifuzzaman Shikhor under the Digital Security Act for publishing and sharing a news article on social media regarding expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia.
Earlier on March 21, Amnesty International published CCTV footage of March 10 that revealed Kajol’s last known whereabouts.
The video obtained by the human rights organization showed that a group of unidentified men approached journalist Kajol’s motorbike and appeared to tamper with it.
Following which, police only registered a complaint from Kajol’s family on March 11 but refused to take a case and also denied having him under their custody.
However, on 18 March, after a High Court order, Polok, the missing journalist’s son, was finally able to file a case regarding the incident with Chawkbazar police station against several unnamed individuals.
