Staff Correspondent:

Over 1000 facebook users, who are involved with the spreading of anti-government rumors, have brought under scanner by the law enforcers.

Besides, surveillance has been beefed up across the country to resist spreading of all kind of anti-government remarks through facebook post.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sources said, police have already identified more than 1000 facebook IDs, which are involved with spreading of anti-government rumors, misleading the new generation and insulting Bangabandhu Shekh Mujibur Rahman via social media especially facebook.

They have already sent the users names and addresses to every airport in which they cannot manage to flee.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the media that, no propagandists will be spared. They must be brought under trial. The law enforcers are working hard in this regard.

Police have already issued warnings to the media including Facebook mentioning their tougher stance against rumors.

The cyber crime unit of the police has started cracking down on rumor mongers after at least seven people were killed in the last year in mass beatings centering rumors.

The law enforcement agencies believe that the situation has arisen over the rumors which spreading through social media that the heads of human beings were needed at the Padma Bridge to complete its construction. But, it was totally baseless and ill-motivated. Now the work of Padma Bridge has almost completed without any head of human being.

Two incidents have drawn people attention highly. One of them is a woman in Badda area of the capital, who was beaten to death, while trying to get her daughter admitted to school. That video went to viral on Facebook. In Narayanganj, a speech-impaired person died in a mass beating on suspicion of kidnapping.

Recently, a case has been lodged against four persons for publishing anti-government remarks through Facebook status. Those, who were accused in the case, are:  Nausin Mostary Mia Saheb, son of Abul kasem, Sayem Ahmad, son of Muhammad Asab Uddin, Sharif Rana, son of Abdul Aziz and Al Amin, son of Abdur Rahman.

According to the sources, Awami League leader lawyer Mohammad Asad Ullah filed the case with Narsingdi Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on February 25, which (case) no is 210/2021. Later, the judge Rakibul Islam recognized the case and directed Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for investigation. The court also asked the investigation officer (IO) to submit the report after completion of investigation.

The case statement revealed that, the four Facebook users belonging to Islami Chhatra Shibir and Jubo Dal have been publishing various anti-government remarks attacking the image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ministers, Secretaries, Judicial Department, Army, RAB, police and other government firms intentionally. The fb IDs, which have been used by them are: https://www.facebook.com/msaheb.mohon, numeric ID 100005185124462,  https://www.facebook.com/sayem.ahmed.351, numeric ID 100000532825590, https://www.facebook.com/sharif.rana.14, Numeric ID 100001804565051 and https://www.facebook.com/alamin.rana.79, numeric ID 100001071551221.

The accused have been spreading confusing information criticizing various development activities of the Awami League government. Even, they have been spreading misleading data about Army, Police and RAB forces. The controversial posts are creating rumors among the people that felling a negative impact on the government images.

According to the government high officials and court order, security measure has been tightened at every airport in which they cannot escape. They must be arrested at airport, if try to leave the country or enter into the country from outside. Meanwhile, at least 55 accused have been arrested in connection with 40 cases.

The law enforcers continue to monitor anti-government and anti-state propaganda through social media to create a chaotic environment.

Mufti Mahmud Khan, Commander of the RAB’s Public Relations Department said, “It is a serious crime to spread rumors with false and fabricated information through social media. RAB is working round the clock to control this crime.”

Apart from social media, a specialized unit called ‘Cyber ​​Police Center’ has been set up to curb the overall misconduct of the cyber world. Under the project ‘Enhancing Cyber ​​Crime Investigation Capability of Bangladesh Police’, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police is working with a state-of-the-art digital forensic lab. Meanwhile, an international standard cyber crime investigation center has been set up with the financial and technical assistance by South Korea.