RU teacher arrested for Facebook posts 'critical of Nasim'

A teacher of Rajshahi University (RU) was arrested under Digital Security Act early today, for "criticising veteran politician and Awami League presidium member Mohammed Nasim", said police.

Kazi Zahidur Rahman, an assistant professor of Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the university, was arrested from his campus quarters home at around 2:00am, said Golam Ruhul Kuddus, additional deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.

Police arrested Zahidur, a pro-AL teacher and an assistant provost of Madar Bux Hall of RU, in connection with a case filed under Sections 25, 29 and 31 of the Digital Security Act, an official said.

Tapos Kumar Saha, a lawyer, filed the case with Motihar police station last night, our staff correspondent reports.

Quoting the case statement, Additional DC Ruhul Quddus said the RU teacher criticised Nasim, a former health minister, in two posts on his Facebook profile using "bad language" on June 1 and 2. At that time, the former minister was battling for life at a hospital after being infected with coronavirus.

Kazi Zahidur Rahman was also a former information and research affairs secretary of Narail district unit of AL. After his Facebook post, his primary membership of the party was revoked on June 16.

The police official said the RU teacher did not mention anyone's name while publishing his comments. But the plaintiff in his case claimed that his comments were against Nasim as he shared a news story of Channel i Online on Nasim's health condition and commented that public opinion over the news should be brought under government notice.