HC quashes ICT Act case filed against Shahidul Alam

The case dates back to 2018, filed during the road safety movement

The High Court has quashed the case filed against photographer Shahidul Alam under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act amid the student-led road safety movement seven years ago.

The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Tamanna Rahman issued the verdict on Thursday.

Following the fall of the Awami League government, the High Court had suspended the investigation of the case, and issued a rule in November asking why the case should not be quashed.

After hearing on Thursday, the court quashed the case.

During the 2018 student protests demanding road safety, Shahidul had gone live on Facebook multiple times on Aug 3 and 4 from Jigatola, where clashes had taken place.

He also criticised the then-government in an interview with Al Jazeera regarding the movement.

On Aug 5, 2018, he was detained at his home by the Detective Branch. On Aug 6, a case was filed against him under the ICT Act at Ramna Police Station, accusing him of spreading “false information”.

He was released on bail on Nov 20, 2018, after spending over three and a half months in jail.

The case files alleged that Shahidul carried out “imaginary propaganda” and “instigated the public with fake information”, which was detrimental to the state.

It also accused him of presenting the government as “questionable and ineffective” to the international community.

On Mar 3, 2019, Shahidul filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the case.