Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
Farmer Abu Zaman could not pass the fifth class in education. He does not have any Facebook ID, does not know the use of smartphones. Yet, a case has been filed against him under the Digital Security Act, alleging that he made a post on another person’s Facebook ID. Abu Zaman (50), a farmer from Gagaria village in Bajitpur of Kishoreganj, has been fleeing with his wife and children for five months since the case.
The family claims the lawsuit was filed under the Digital Security Act over a land dispute.
Victim’s family members said, he does not have a Facebook ID.
Farmer Abu Zaman said I don’t have a smartphone of my own. He doesn’t even know how to use a smartphone. He could not even pass the 5 class in his studies. Yet, the family claims that he has been framed under the Digital Security Act on charge of giving the Facebook status of others’ on a land dispute.
Gias Uddin’s son died in the same area. Mizanur Rahman Sikder filed the case against Abu Zaman under the Digital Security Act at Katiadi Police Station on October 19 ,2020.
Abu Zaman is the number two accused in the case. The number one accused in the case is Al Amin (25), son of Ala Uddin of the same area.
According to local sources, Gias Uddin, the father of plaintiff Mizanur Rahman Sikder, had earlier filed a case against farmer Abu Zaman in 2002 over a land dispute. Since then, the Mizan family has been in dispute with Abu Zaman. Even before the case was filed against Abu Zaman under the Digital Security Act, Mizan’s family had filed four cases against him, including torture of women, arson, theft and robbery. At one stage, the matter was arbitrated after a complaint was lodged with a local MP. Then Zaman got back home. Mizan recently filed a case against Zaman under the Digital Security Act. He filed the case with the Katiadi Police Station under the Digital Security Act on October 19 last year as Mizan’s current home is in Katiadi.
Accused Abu Zaman working in Midelest.
Accused Abu Zaman said “Mizan’s family has been harassing me for the last 20 years. A case has been filed against me under the Digital Security Act for allegedly slandering Mizan’s dead father on Facebook. I don’t know what the case is, where the court is. I don’t have a Facebook ID or a smartphone. I don’t even know how to use a smartphone. I have nothing to do with Al Amin, who has been asked to help write a status by slandering the plaintiff’s father on Facebook.
‘I am now running away leaving my family behind for fear of lawsuits. I am seeking the intervention of the Prime Minister to get relief from this case, “he said.
Mizanur Rahman Sikder, the plaintiff in the case said that Al-Amin, the number one accused in the case, sat down and posted them on Facebook. For this, a case has been filed against Abu Zaman as the second accused under the Digital Security Act.
Zafar Iqbal, Chairman of Pirijpur Union in Bajitpur Upazila told the New Nation that “Abu Zaman, the accused in the Digital Security Act case, is a foreigner. He came to the country and is involved in agricultural work as well as other businesses. As far as I know, Abu Zaman has slandered the public in public if he was not directly involved in giving status on Facebook. So maybe he has been accused in the case. However, I have heard in public that the accused Abu Zaman had a previous dispute with the plaintiff in the case.
Officer-in-charge (OC) in Katiadi Model Police Station SM Shahadat Hossain told New Nation that , “Abu Zaman is a farmer. He can’t run Facebook, that’s what we heard. So the case is being seriously investigated. If the farmer is not involved in the case, legal action will be taken to remove him from the charge sheet subject to investigation.
Police Super (SP) in Kishoreganj Mashrukur Rahman Khaled BPM (Bar) told the New Nation that the main accused Al-amain arrested in this connection.
SP also said the case has been transferred was to CID . If not involved, Abu Zaman will be acquitted. Besides, if harassment is done with a false case, then legal action will be taken against the plaintiff in the case subject to investigation.
