A case was filed against 3 journalists for publishing news related to food irregularities of patients suffering from Covid at Sadar Hospital.
On Friday last, caretaker of Sadar Hospital, Dr Nadirul Aziz filed the case under the Digital Security Act.
Police arrested Tanvir HasanTanu the next day (Saturday). Investigating officer of the case Dalim Roy petitioned for a five-day remand and Thakurgaon Senior Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Arifur Rahman's Amli rejected the remand prayer and granted bail to Tanu on Sunday.
District Bar Association President Advocate Abdul Halim, Advocate Emran Hossain Chowdhury, Senior Advocates Jahangir Alam, Fazle Rabbi Bakul, and Advocate Leon stood for Tanu.
Tanvir Hasan Tanu is the district correspondent of Independent TV, Daily Ittefaq and Jagonews and the office secretary of Thakurgaon Press Club.
NewsBangla24 correspondent Rahim Shuvo and Daily Bangladesh Protidin district correspondent Abdul Latif Litu have also been charged in this case. Family members said that Tanvir Hasan Tanu’s whole family was infected by Covid. After the arrest he was taken to Sadar Hospital at night because he felt ill.
He was seen handcuffed on a hospital bed. Journalists were outraged by Tanu's arrest. During the night, a protest meeting was held on behalf of the Press Club on the premises of the club.
Finally, the court granted bail to Tanu when he was taken to the court of Thakurgaon Senior Judicial Magistrate Arifur Rahman on Sunday afternoon.
Journalists and family members have demanded immediate withdrawal of the case against Tanu.
On July 5, several online and national dailies including Jagonews 24 published news under the headline "Irregularities in the diet of corona patients in modern Sadar Hospital".
It was informed that during the pandemic, the coronavirus patients were allotted food worth Tk 300 per day but the authorities were serving substandard food spending only Tk 70-80 which was admitted by the patients.
In this context, on July 9, the caretaker of Sadar Hospital Dr Nadirul Aziz filed a case against Tanu and 3 other journalists under the Digital Security Act.
