1 held in Chandpur for spreading coronavirus death toll ‘rumour’

Detectives today arrested a man in Chandpur for allegedly spreading a rumour about the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The arrestee, Khwaja Mohammad Maksud, 45, was held from a shopping complex in Chandpur town this noon by Md Rezaul Karim, a sub-inspector of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, reports our local correspondent quoting police.

A mobile phone was recovered from him from which a video clip was shared on YouTube to spread a rumour that "18 people have died from coronavirus so far", said Md Nasim Uddin, officer-in-charge of Chandpur Model Police Station.

A case was filed with the police station against Khwaja under the Digital Security Act, the OC also said.

There were also four other lodged cases against Khwaja under the Special Powers Act and Explosives Act lodged with the police station earlier, the police official said.

Khwaja is on bail in those four cases, the OC added.