Bangladesh: Journalist Arrested Over Report on Rising Food Prices

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Image copyright: AFP/Getty Images [via The Guardian]

The Facts

  • Bangladesh police on Wednesday detained the journalist Samsuzzaman Shams — employee at the leading local newspaper Prothom Alo — over allegations he promoted "false news" that violated the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA).

  • This comes as his article about rising food prices — which included testimony from ordinary people about their daily experiences and challenges — went viral after it was published last Sunday on the occasion of the country's independence day.

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The Spin

Narrative A

The DSA has become a major threat to freedom of the press in Bangladesh, especially in the run-up to the next elections, as it has expanded the government's powers over independent journalists and intentionally created loopholes for its misapplications. Shams is just the latest to be detained under this law but, unless the nation protests together to abolish, or at the very least rectify the act, he will not be the last.

Prothomalo

Narrative B

Those claiming that the DSA has been created to curb freedom of the press are completely misrepresenting the legislation. The DSA imposes laws necessary to ensure that law enforcement agencies can stay ahead of criminal activity and irresponsible publishing, as evident in the arrest of Shams for spreading false and threatening information.

BSS

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