Bangladeshi Journalist Elias Hossain Acquitted in DSA Case by Dhaka Cyber Tribunal

August 27, 2025 – Bangladesh – 

A Dhaka Cyber Tribunal has cleared journalist Elias Hossain of all charges under the Digital Security Act (DSA), ending a high-profile legal ordeal that began nearly three years ago. Judge Nure Alam delivered the acquittal on August 27, citing that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate the charges against him. Court official Mohammad Jewel Miah confirmed that no witnesses appeared to testify on the scheduled date, prompting the court to close the testimony phase and deliver a clean verdict for Elias.

The original case was initiated on September 27, 2022, when former Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) chief Banaj Kumar Mazumder filed a complaint at Dhanmondi Police Station. The charge-sheet, submitted on April 9, 2023, named Elias Hossain, then abroad as a US-based journalist, along with former SP Babul Akter, his father, Md Abdul Wadud, and brother Habibur Rahman Labu, alleging the spread of false and misleading information regarding the high-profile murder investigation of a police official’s wife.

Subsequently, Babul Akter and his father were discharged in July 2023, followed by Labu in January 2024, leaving Elias as the sole remaining defendant. A total of 13 witnesses testified throughout the trial.

This acquittal marks a pivotal moment for Elias and underscores ongoing concerns about the use of the DSA to suppress journalistic activity and dissent. Critics of the law argue it has often been wielded against reporters and media professionals, fueling debate over its implications for press freedom in Bangladesh.

Elias’s exoneration could signal shifting dynamics around media rights and judicial accountability. It remains to be seen whether this decision will influence broader reforms regarding the DSA’s application.

References –

https://www.bssnews.net/others/305837

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/court/journalist-elias-hossain-acquitted-dsa-case-1222236