DSA Case against Engineer: S Alam Group, police given contempt notice

Six rights organisations yesterday served a contempt of court notice on S Alam Group and Chattogram's Banshkhali police for filing a case under the Digital Security Act against a local engineer in violation of a High Court directive.  

The organisations sent the notice to S Aalm Group's Managing Director Mohammad Saiful Alam and officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station Md Shafiqul Kabir, requesting them to withdraw the case against Shahenwaz Chowdhury by June 3. They said a contempt of court petition will be moved against the two if the case is not withdrawn.

The litigants are: Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela); BLAST; Nijera Kori; Safety and Rights Society; ALRD and Ain O Salish Kendra.

On April 17, seven workers of SS Power I Plant, a joint venture involving S Alam Group, in Banshkhali were killed and at least 19 were injured after police opened fire during a demonstration by workers.

Bela's lawyer Sayeed Ahmed Kabir told The Daily Star that chief coordinator of S Alam Group Faruk Ahmed filed a "false" case against Shahnewaz under DSA for posting a Facebook status on the situation of the area.

The organisations in the notice said following a petition filed by them, the HC on May 4 directed the government and S Alam Group to ensure no labour or person in that area was harassed. But defying the HC directive, the case was filed with the police station on May 27.