IFJ 23 April 2021
Bangladesh: Police arrest NTV bureau chief under Digital Security Act
Abu Tayyab, a senior television journalist, was arrested by police on April 20 under the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA) for writing social media posts about alleged corruption by Khulna City Corporation (KCC) mayor, Talukder Abdul Khaleque. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the KCC mayor to drop all charges against the journalist. File photo of journalist Abu Tayyab. Credit : Dhaka Tribune
Tayab, Khulna bureau chief of NTV, a private television channel, was arrested on April 20 following the filing of a case against the journalist under the DSA on April 19. Tayab is accused of spreading ‘negative propaganda’ on his Facebook account and of defaming the KCC mayor, who is also the president of Awami League s city unit, by publishing false news stories regarding the mayor’s alleged corruption.