Key highlights
- Bangladeshi YouTuber Elias Hossain apprehended in NYC
- Charged with spreading misinformation and making threats
- Case filed against Pinaki Bhattacharya and six others under the Cyber Security Act (CSA)
- Accused of spreading propaganda and making derogatory remarks on social media platforms
Criminals never get spared by the justice system and the same happened to anti-state propagandist Elias Hossain, a Bangladeshi expatriate YouTuber known for his controversial content. Indeed, he is within such a batch of derogatory propaganda makers with Pinaki Bhattacharya, Kanak Sarwar, Nazmul Islam, Shahriar Hossain Saqib (SH), Shakeel Ahmed, the administrator of the Facebook page “Fight for Democracy,” Hasan Mia (Hasan), Abdul Hadi, and Rezaul Karim.
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Over a charge of spreading misinformation in Bangladesh, Elias Hossain has been apprehended by the New York Police Department recently. A few years back, he fled the country to the USA in the guise of asylum. He was occupied with spreading dangerous conspiracy theories, anti-Hindu or minority sentiment, and bloodthirsty rhetoric which is in reality the biggest threat to any democratic process in the present era of social media domination.
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However, Police in New York have arrested expatriate Bangladeshi YouTuber Elias Hossain on charges related to threatening and attempting to extort money from a person. Hossain was apprehended at Staten Island in New York City on Sunday morning following a wanted notice issued by the 113th Precinct of the New York Police Department. He is scheduled to be produced in Queens Criminal Court on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
Alleged Threats and Offensive Content
While police did not disclose the identity of the individual allegedly threatened by Hossain, local media in Bangladesh identified the target as Jacob Milton. Reports suggest that Hossain had posted offensive videos targeting Milton’s sister Nira Rabbani, a joint convenor of the BNP’s overseas unit in New York State, and her daughter Prema Rabbani. NYPD had previously issued a Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT) to Hossain after he surrendered on Feb 1 for related video content, mandating his court appearance on Feb 21. However, as he persisted in posting offensive remarks, police initiated a search operation leading to his recent arrest.
Cyber Tribunal Orders
This is not Hossain’s first brush with the law. He was previously arrested in November 2022 for allegedly behaving roughly with Nira Rabbani. Furthermore, a cyber tribunal in Bangladesh had ordered Hossain’s arrest and the attachment of his property last year for spreading false information regarding the investigation into the murder of Mahmuda Hossain Mitu, wife of former superintendent of police Babul Akter. Additionally, Banaj Mumar Majumder, chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation, filed a suit against Hossain for various charges including attempts to disrupt religious harmony and damage Bangladesh’s relations with India.
CSA Case Involving Pinaki Bhattacharya and Others
On the other hand, a case has been filed against writer and online activist Pinaki Bhattacharya and six others under the Cyber Security Act (CSA). They are accused of allegedly spreading propaganda, making derogatory remarks, and uploading distorted photos of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on social media platforms, including YouTube.
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Abdur Rahman, Vice President of the Muktijoddha Mancha Sylhet chapter, filed the case with the Sylhet Cyber Tribunal court on Sunday, as confirmed by plaintiff’s lawyer Tipu Ranjan Das.
The other accused individuals include Nazmul Islam, Shahriar Hossain Saqib (SH), Shakeel Ahmed, the administrator of the Facebook page “Fight for Democracy,” Hasan Mia (Hasan), Abdul Hadi, and Rezaul Karim.
According to the case statement, the accused recently uploaded distorted photos of Sheikh Hasina on YouTube and made derogatory remarks.
Conclusion
If individuals like Elias Hossain are held accountable under the law, it will act as a deterrent for others. Recently, there has been a notable increase in the spread of false, fabricated, misleading, and inflammatory statements targeting government officials, public representatives, military personnel, police officers, and other law enforcement agencies across various social media platforms. The primary objective of these actions is to deceive the elected government and disseminate false and groundless information, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of the country.
In response to this concerning trend, the government is actively taking measures to counter misinformation on both domestic and international social media platforms. Legal action will be pursued against individuals involved in such activities in accordance with existing laws, with the aim of dissuading others from engaging in similar behavior.