The Editors’ Council has strongly condemned the filing of a case against journalist Anis Alamgir under the Anti-Terrorism Act, saying the move was taken without any specific allegation and reflects an alarming pattern of harassment of journalists.
In a joint statement issued today, Editors’ Council President Nurul Kabir and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud said summoning a journalist to the Detective Branch (DB) office without any formal charge and subsequently showing him arrested in a terrorism-related case is completely unacceptable.
According to the statement, Anis Alamgir was called to the DB office on Sunday without being informed of any allegation. He was allegedly kept there, and a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act was filed against him the following day, after which he was formally shown arrested.
The Editors’ Council said such actions revive memories of state repression against journalists witnessed during past authoritarian regimes. “We have seen similar practices during previous governments, when journalists were routinely targeted with false cases, harassment and arbitrary arrests,” the statement said.
The council emphasised that if there are credible allegations against any journalist, those must be dealt with strictly through due legal process in line with the principles of justice and the rule of law. “Calling someone to the DB office without charges, detaining them, and later filing a terrorism case cannot be justified under any circumstances,
The statement also noted that since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government following the mass uprising on August 5, 2024, several journalists have been implicated in false murder cases, many of whom remain behind bars. The Editors’ Council reiterated its earlier demand for the withdrawal of all fabricated cases against journalists.
Although the government’s law adviser had previously promised action against false cases and harassment, no visible steps have yet been taken, the council observed.
The Editors’ Council concluded by strongly condemning the incident and calling for the immediate withdrawal of all baseless and politically motivated cases filed against journalists.