Journalist Shafik sent to jail in Cyber Security case

A Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered journalist Hafizur Rahman Shafik to be sent to jail in a case filed under the Cyber Security Act with Shahbagh Police Station.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Muhammad Jonaid passed the order after police produced Shafik before the court.

Police arrested Shafik near Holy Family Hospital in the capital’s Moghbazar area on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the investigation officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Md Ziaul Haque of Shahbagh Police Station, sought an order to keep him in jail.

According to the first information report (FIR), firefighter Saddam Hossain, 27, of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence filed the case against Hafizur Rahman Shafik, 38, Md Fazlul Haque, 35, Md Liton Mia, 47, and several unidentified people.

The complainant alleged that Shafik, identifying himself as a journalist, repeatedly demanded money from him and threatened to produce and circulate false and misleading videos about him on social media if he refused to pay.

He further alleged that Shafik later uploaded a video about him on his Facebook page and again demanded money by contacting him through WhatsApp.

The FIR also alleges that the other two accused shared the video on their Facebook accounts and made offensive comments, damaging the complainant’s personal reputation and the image of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The complainant further alleged that the accused threatened to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create and spread more fake videos.

In the detention plea, the investigation officer said Shafik had initially admitted his involvement in the incident during preliminary interrogation.

He sought the accused’s detention, stating that Shafik might abscond if released on bail.