Prothom Alo Editor and publisher Matiur Rahman on Sunday filed a petition with the High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case filed against him under the Digital Security Act on charges of publishing news with false and fabricated information on Independence Day.
Advocate Proshanto Kumar Karmakar, a legal counsel for Matiur Rahman, confirmed the matter.
The DSA case was filed against him at Ramna police station early Thursday.
Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, an unnamed assistant cameraman and unnamed others were also accused in the case.
A lawyer named Abdul Malek Mashiur Malek filed the case accusing them of using print, online and electronic media to tarnish the image and reputation of the state, the first information report (FIR) of the case said.
The FIR mentioned that the accused spread falsehood on purpose to deteriorate the law and order situation in the country.
The case was filed under sections 25, 31 and 35 of the DSA.
Meanwhile, Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams on Saturday was taken to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, just a day after his relocation to Kashimpur Central Jail-1, Gazipur.
Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, working in Savar near the capital Dhaka, was picked up from his house in the Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University in the early hours of Wednesday by the CID for allegedly publishing fake and fabricated news.
Later, he was sued under the DSA on the same day and a Dhaka court sent him to jail on Thursday rejecting his bail plea.
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 around half an hour and issued a correction later in the day, saying there was 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.
