Police have submitted a final report to the court seeking the discharge of Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, staff reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams, and another unnamed assistant photojournalist in a Digital Security Act (DSA) case. The case was filed at the Ramna Police Station in Dhaka over allegations of publishing false and fabricated information on Independence Day.

According to sources from the General Register (GR) branch of the court on Sunday (December 22), the investigation officer, Abdullah Al Mamun, an inspector with the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, submitted the final report on November 14. The case was later transferred to the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal by an order from Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Sanuallah on December 1.

The case stems from a March 26, 2023, incident in which Prothom Alo published a photocard featuring a quotation attributed to a day laborer but illustrated with the image of a child. Although the photocard was removed from social media and corrected within 17 minutes, it triggered allegations of misinformation.

On March 29, 2023, a case was filed against Matiur Rahman, Shamsuzzaman Shams, an assistant photojournalist, and unnamed individuals at the Ramna Police Station under the Digital Security Act.

According to lawyer Prashanta Kumar Karmakar, representing Matiur Rahman, the investigation found no credible evidence against the accused. “The police investigation concluded that the allegations against Matiur Rahman and others were unfounded. As a result, the court has discharged them from the case,” he said.

In a separate but related case filed at the Tejgaon Police Station under the Digital Security Act, police also submitted a final report seeking the discharge of Shamsuzzaman Shams. This case, filed on March 29, 2023, by Syed Md. Golam Kibria, a leader of the Jubo League, similarly alleged violations of the Digital Security Act concerning the same publication.

Both cases underscore the contentious application of the Digital Security Act in Bangladesh, sparking debates about press freedom and journalistic accountability. Authorities have yet to confirm the future course of action regarding the cases.