Dhaka Stream threatened with cyberattack over report, files GD

Dhaka Stream has received a cyberattack threat following a report on the sale of books by al-Qaeda leaders at an Islamic book fair on the Baitul Mukarram premises.

The news portal filed a general diary (GD) with Kalabagan Police Station on Tuesday (September 22), seeking security for its staff and online platforms.

According to the GD filed by Md Prem Hossain, an official of Dhaka Stream’s human resources and administration department, the organisation preserved screenshots of the threatening email, digital evidence and other relevant information.

The GD sought steps to ensure the security of the portal’s employees, online platforms and social media pages, as well as to identify the person behind the threat and take legal action.

The threat came after Dhaka Stream published a report titled “Books by al-Qaeda leaders at Islamic book fair, who is behind it?” on September 20.

The report, published in both Bangla and English, said translated books by deceased al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, who are listed as global terrorists, were being openly sold at the month-long book fair organised by the Islamic Foundation.

The following day, around 9 PM on September 21, the portal received a threatening message at its official email address. The sender used abusive language and threatened a cyberattack unless the report was removed and an apology issued within 12 hours, calling the report “false and fabricated.”

The portal has preserved the email and other digital evidence, according to the GD.

- MaT