A court has ordered the imprisonment of content creator A.M. Hasan Nasim in a case filed over spreading misleading information and allegedly blackmailing the Chief Whip of the National Parliament, Nurul Islam Moni.

On Saturday (April 18), Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Pias passed the order after a hearing.

According to court sources, Sub-Inspector Md. Raihanur Rahman of the DB Police presented Nasim in court and sought a seven-day remand for a thorough investigation. The remand plea stated that the accused confessed to his involvement during primary interrogation and that further questioning was necessary to identify other associates. Meanwhile, defense lawyer Zahirul Islam moved a bail petition, seeking the cancellation of the remand. After hearing both sides, the court rejected both the remand and bail applications and sent Nasim to jail.

Nasim was arrested on the night of April 17 from a rented house in the Shere-e-Bangla Nagar area of the capital.

The Allegations
The case was filed by Md. Nazrul Islam, an aide to the Chief Whip, at Gulshan Police Station under the Cyber Security Act. According to the complaint, the accused posted a misleading caption on Facebook: "I have brought 3 whales from the sea, 2 sharks are on the way InshaAllah, everyone is invited: Chief Whip."

The prosecution further alleged that screenshots of the post were sent to the Chief Whip’s personal WhatsApp number from an unknown account in an attempt to blackmail him for personal gain.

Context of the Remark
The controversy stems from the 13th day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament on April 10. During a break, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, also the MP for Barguna-2, invited fellow lawmakers to a luncheon. When some members humorously asked about the menu, the Chief Whip replied in jest: "Brothers, everything is on the menu. Members, I have caught three whales from the sea for you, and two more sharks are coming InshaAllah."

His witty remark caused an outburst of laughter in the house and was subsequently reported by various mainstream media outlets through reports and photo cards.

NCP Condemns the Arrest
The National Citizen’s Party (NCP) has strongly condemned the arrest of the activist. In a statement issued Saturday night, the party demanded Nasim's immediate release, noting that an activist has lost the freedom to publish political cartoons just two months into the new government's tenure.

The NCP argued that the case is "false and baseless," as Nasim merely shared a cartoon based on the Chief Whip's own public, humorous statement. They also pointed out legal inconsistencies, stating that the complaint fails to specify what kind of "illegal benefit" the accused supposedly tried to extort, which is a requirement under Section 25 of the Cyber Security Act.

The statement further referenced a quote from Tarique Rahman on August 11, 2024, regarding the restoration of the freedom to draw political cartoons, lamenting that this freedom appears to have been curtailed so soon. The NCP termed the police action "unprofessional" and a violation of a citizen's rights.