'Spreading Rumour': Four held, 16 others sued

Law enforcers have arrested four more people from the capital for allegedly trying to create unrest by spreading rumours on social media instigating the student protest.

They were held in the last two days.

Social Media Monitoring and Cyber Security Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained Mahbubur Rahman Arman, 30, Alamgir Hossain, 27, and Saidul Islam, 31, on Sunday night from different parts of the capital.

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'Tortured in custody'

Police yesterday held Shahed Akhter in a case filed under the ICT Act with Rupnagar Police Station for allegedly spreading rumours on social media, said DMP Deputy Commissioner (media wing) Masudur Rahman. 

The arrestees were trying to turn the ongoing student protest for safe roads into a violent one by sharing various provocative contents, posts and going live on Facebook, Najmul Islam, additional deputy commissioner of the cyber security division, told The Daily Star.

All the arrestees are online activists, the ADC said, adding that his department would continue its operation against the people responsible for spreading rumours.

Of the three who were arrested on Sunday night, Mahbubur Rahman Arman alias Cyber Mahbub identified himself as a cyber analyst. The name of his Facebook group is FightForSurvivorsRight.FSR. He opened the group in the name of providing “cyber service”, the ADC said.

He also used his personal id -- arman@mahahabuburrahman -- for spreading propaganda.

The two other arrestees were using their personal Facebook IDs for running their activities, the police official added.

A Dhaka court placed the three on a five-day remand after they were produced before it.

On August 4, Rab arrested actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed from Dhaka's Uttara for allegedly spreading rumours on Facebook over the attack on the student protest. 

16 MORE SUED UNDER ICT ACT

Police on Sunday filed a case with Ramna Police Station accusing 16 social media users of instigating students, reports UNB.

Ojoy Kumar Biswash, assistant sub-inspector of the cybercrime unit under DMP, filed the case under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, said Masudur.

According to the First Information Report of the case, the plaintiff alleged that provocative posts, writings and videos were uploaded through social media aiming to deteriorate the country's law and order.

On August 2, ASI Yeasin Meah lodged another case against 29 people with the same police station under the ICT Act.

CASES OVER ATTACK ON AL OFFICE

Besides, two cases have been lodged against over 1,200 unknown people in connection with the alleged attacks on Awami League President's Dhanmondi office on Saturday and Sunday during the student protest in the area.

AL Deputy Office Secretary Biplob Barua filed the cases with Dhanmondi Police Station yesterday, Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge of the police station, told The Daily Star.

In another development, Chittagong police detained nine youths from in front of Chittagong Press Club yesterday morning when they were trying to hold a rally protesting the recent attacks on the students demanding safe roads.

Their identities could not be known immediately. Police said the youths were taken to Kotwali Police Station for interrogation.

Inspector (investigation) Jahedul Islam of Kotwali Police Station said some youths tried to hold the rally in front of the Press Club without any permission from police.

Our CU correspondent contributed to this story.