In a landmark decision on Thursday, the High Court of Bangladesh ended the seven-year legal battle of Dr. Shahidul Alam, a renowned photojournalist and social activist. The case, which commenced in 2018 under the controversial Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, was dismissed following its repeal.

Section 57, notorious for its harsh penalties on the dissemination of "fake or obscene" content which could potentially "deprave and corrupt" or harm the state's image, faced widespread criticism for stifling free speech. Under this provision, Dr. Alam was arrested for his outspoken comments during a 2018 interview with Al Jazeera and posts on Facebook concerning the student-led road safety protests and the government's forceful response.

The arrest of Dr. Alam, executed by plainclothes officers who allegedly blindfolded him and seized CCTV footage from his home, sparked international condemnation. Labelled as a 'Prisoner of Conscience' by Amnesty International, he was accused of spreading "provocative false statements" purportedly inciting public unrest. Despite the severity of the accusations, he faced three months of incarceration before securing bail.

The ICT Act was eventually replaced by the Digital Security Act (DSA) in 2018, which itself was later substituted by the Cyber Security Act (CSA). Both successor laws have been criticized for perpetuating the same suppressive policies as their predecessor. The High Court's recent judgment was influenced by a 2024 directive which questioned the continuation of cases under the repealed law, leading to Dr. Alam's long-awaited legal relief.

This dismissal has been hailed by various rights groups as a significant victory for freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Amnesty International’s South Asia Research Director, Isabelle Lassee, described the court's decision as "long overdue" and reiterated calls for the dismissal of other ongoing cases initiated under the now-defunct Section 57.

Despite this progress, the shadow of past regulations looms large, with the current CSA echoing the restrictive nature of the laws it replaced. Advocates and international observers continue to monitor the situation, hoping for further reforms that will secure and expand free speech rights in Bangladesh.