Engineer Aminul Hasib of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is preparing to file a case under the country's cyber security law, alleging that he has been the target of a coordinated online defamation campaign.
Sources close to Hasib claimed that false and misleading allegations have recently been circulated through several online news portals and social media platforms with the intention of damaging his professional reputation and personal integrity.
According to the sources, Hasib's recent promotion was awarded in accordance with government rules, seniority, professional qualifications and established administrative procedures. They rejected allegations that the promotion was influenced by political connections or personal lobbying, claiming such assertions were published without credible documentary evidence.
The sources further alleged that many of the reports and social media posts relied on anonymous sources and were not supported by any official investigation, court ruling or decision of the relevant authorities.
They argued that publishing allegations of corruption, bribery, political affiliation or money laundering without verified evidence is inconsistent with responsible journalism and has created public confusion while harming the reputation of the government official.
According to the sources, the alleged campaign has also caused reputational damage to Hasib's family, prompting him to seek legal redress.
Preparations for filing the case have been largely completed, and it is expected to be lodged before the appropriate court either later today or on Monday morning, the sources said.
They also stressed that responsible journalism requires verification of information through reliable sources and obtaining comments from the individuals concerned before publication.
The same sources claimed that two CAAB officials have been identified for their alleged involvement in disseminating the defamatory content and are expected to be named as accused in the planned case.
The allegations made by Hasib's associates have not been independently verified, and no court has yet examined the claims. The individuals expected to be named in the proposed case have not publicly responded to the allegations.
