TBT DESK: In a landmark judgment, the High Court on Thursday acquitted Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) Director Minhaz Mannan Emon of all charges filed against him under the Digital Security Act (DSA), clearing his name after more than five years of legal uncertainty.
A bench comprising Justice ASM Abdul Mobin and Justice Md Jabid Hossain delivered the verdict, granting Emon’s appeal and overturning the earlier decision of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal that had framed charges against him in February 2022.
Confirming the development, Emon’s counsel Advocate Moyeen Ferozee said, “The honourable High Court has found no legal grounds to sustain the charges. This verdict not only clears my client but also restores his professional reputation that was unfairly tarnished.”
The case dates back to May 2020, when the Ramna Police Station registered a DSA case accusing seven individuals—including Emon, cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, and Rashtrachinta member Didarul Islam Bhuiyan—of “spreading conspiratorial statements and rumours” against the state on social media during the tenure of the then-government led by Sheikh Hasina.
The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) later submitted the charge sheet in February 2021, naming seven accused in total. The others included Sweden-based journalist Tasnim Khalil, Hungary-based activist Samiul Islam Khan (alias Sam or Zulkar Nine), and Bangladeshi nationals Ashiq Imran and Wahidun Nabi.
Following the Cyber Tribunal’s order in 2022, both Emon and Didarul filed appeals against the decision. While the lower court initially rejected their appeals, Emon later moved to the High Court, which on 24 August 2022 stayed the proceedings and accepted his petition for hearing.
After a series of hearings that stretched over two years, the High Court’s verdict has now brought long-awaited relief to Emon.
Representing the state, Deputy Attorney General Sultana Akhter Ruby argued in favour of maintaining the charges, but the court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish sufficient evidence linking Emon to any online activity that could be deemed as a threat to state security or public order.
Emon, a respected figure in the country’s capital market and one of the directors of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, had faced professional and personal challenges during the course of the case. Speaking briefly after the verdict, he said he was “deeply relieved” by the outcome.
“This was never just a legal battle—it was about truth and reputation,” Emon said. “I’m grateful to the judiciary for upholding justice and clearing my name.”
The case was one of the most high-profile prosecutions under the Digital Security Act 2018, which was widely criticised by human rights groups and media advocates for allegedly being used to stifle dissent and free expression.
Several of the accused, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, had previously drawn international attention after alleging torture while in custody. The DSA, which replaced the earlier Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, was repealed in 2024 and replaced by the Cyber Security Act, following domestic and international pressure to amend or abolish provisions seen as repressive.
Legal analysts believe Emon’s acquittal could set an important precedent for other pending DSA-era cases still awaiting trial or appeal.
“This judgment underscores the judiciary’s increasing willingness to scrutinise how DSA cases were filed and whether they met constitutional standards for freedom of expression,” said a senior Supreme Court lawyer familiar with similar cases.
As the legal dust settles, Minhaz Mannan Emon’s acquittal not only marks the end of a protracted legal ordeal but also reignites debate about digital freedom and accountability in Bangladesh’s justice system.
