Cancel all CSA, DSA cases against journos: Editors’ Council

The Editors’ Council today demanded that the government withdraws and cancels all the cases including those filed against journalists under the Cyber Security Act (CSA) and the previous Digital Security Act, as well as harassment cases related to the recent movement.
In a statement, signed by the council’s President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud, it also called for the repeal of all restrictive laws, including the CSA.
The statement noted that newspaper and television channel offices were attacked and property was destroyed during the recent mass movement.
“The Editors’ Council does not support such incidents. At the same time, the Editors’ Council believes that unethical and sycophantic journalism should be avoided in favour of professionalism,” it said.
The statement also highlighted that the previous government had taken various steps to stifle and regulate freedom of speech, creativity, and the independent press industry, enacting several restrictive laws.
“These laws include the Data Protection Act (Draft) 2022, Digital, Social Media and OTT Regulation 2021 (Draft), Media Workers (Conditions of Service) Act 2022 (Draft), National Online Media Policy 2017, and The Press Council (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Draft), all of which should be repealed immediately,” the statement read.
As in the past, efforts to impose restrictions on public and private advertisements in newspapers should be stopped, the statement said, adding that all activities of the Department of Films & Publications (DFP), a government agency, must be transparent and made public.
It further called for the Press Council to be reconstituted and made an effective body and for the removal of all obstacles to independent journalism.
These calls were made during a meeting of the Editors’ Council on August 10, presided over by its President Mahfuz Anam, also the editor and publisher of The Daily Star.
The meeting was attended by Matiur Rahman, editor and publisher of Prothom Alo; Tasmima Hossain, editor of Ittefaq; Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age and senior vice-president of the Editors’ Council; Shamsul Huq Zahid, editor of The Financial Express; Altamash Kabir, editor of Sangbad; Dewan Hanif Mahmud, editor and publisher of Bonik Barta; Zafar Sobhan, editor of Dhaka Tribune and also a joint secretary of the Editors’ Council; Alamgir Mohiuddin, editor of Naya Diganta; Alamgir Hossain, editor of Samakal; Mostafa Mamun, editor of Desh Rupantor; Mostafiz Shafi, editor of Pratidiner Bangladesh; and Shahriar Karim, executive editor of Sangbad.
Daily Purbokone Editor Dr M Ramiz Uddin Chowdhury and Suprobhat Bangladesh Editor Rusho Mahmud also attended the meeting virtually.