The Editors' Council (Sampadak Parishad) of Bangladesh, an association formed to protect editorial freedom and promote responsible journalism in the country, has expressed grave concern over the arrest of Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The leaders of different media houses said that the journalists should not be subjected to arrest, harassment or torture in any way, according to a media statement published on Wednesday.
The statement said the DSA is creating barriers to freedom of expression. Journalists, lawyers, human rights activists and the representatives of civil society have been expressing their concerns over the act since it was formulated.
The Editors' Council called for a free and independent working environment for the media, stating that if a report violates the principles of journalism, the aggrieved party could seek recourse through the Bangladesh Press Council.
However, the journalists and free thinkers are being repressed by implicating in the case under the DSA, they said.
In the statement, the council urged the government to amend the law immediately to ensure a free and amicable atmosphere to practice journalism. Besides, they demanded the release of all arrestees under the act.
A team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police picked up Samsuzzaman Shams from his rented house in Ashulia, Savar, at around 5am on Wednesday.
The Prothom Alo reporter spoke to people, including a child named Shobuj, on March 25, on the eve of Independence Day, and submitted a report on people's suffering due to price hikes. The report was published on March 26.
The news drew criticism as the newspaper used the child's photo with a quote from a 40-year-old labourer named Zakir, identifying the child as Zakir and not Shobuj.
Prothom Alo withdrew the report within about half an hour and issued a correction later in the day, saying there had been an inconsistency between the headline and the accompanying photo. Alongside the news item, the newspaper had also posted a poster on its social media handle.