A Dhaka Court on Wednesday granted bail to Baul singer Rita Dewan in a case filed under the Digital Security Act for hurting religious sentiments.
Judge Ash-Shams Jaglul Hossain of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal passed the order after the accused surrendered before the court, seeking bail in the case.
Rita’s counsel Abdullah Al Noman confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune.
On December 2, 2020, an arrest warrant was issued against three people including Rita Dewan in the DSA case.
The other accused are Shahjahan, 45, and Md Iqbal Hossain, 48 — owners of YouTube channels Kokil TV and Channel Rupali HD, respectively, said the Police Bureau of Investigation’s (PBI) Inspector Sheikh Md Mizanur Rahman, the officer investigating the case.
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Imrul Hasan, a member of the Dhaka Bar Association, filed the case on February 2. The judge then directed the PBI to investigate the allegations and submit a report.
According to the plaintiff, Rita made derogatory comments regarding Allah while competing with another singer in a mystic song duel [Pala gaan] at an event.
As the song went viral on YouTube, it hurt the religious sentiment of the lawyer. He also claimed that the song hurt the sentiments of the "Muslim community”.
Section 28 (1) of the Digital Security Act 2018 says: "If any person or group intentionally or knowingly with the aim of hurting religious sentiments or values or with the intention to provoke publish or broadcast anything by means of any website or any electronic format which hurts religious sentiment or values, then such activity of that person will be considered an offence."