Authorities of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology have sued a student of the university under the Digital Security Act for an alleged derogatory post on Facebook about former health minister Mohammed Nasim who passed away recently.

On behalf of the university, Registrar Mohd Ishfaqul Hussain filed the case with Jalalabad Police Station yesterday afternoon, Okil Uddin, officer-in-charge of the police station, told The Daily Star.

"The case is filed under sections 25 and 29 of the Digital Security Act and we are investigating the matter," the OC said.

On Saturday, Mahir Chowdhury, a final year student of the economics department of the university posted a status on his Facebook after Mohammed Nasim's death.

Registrar Mohd Ishfaqul Hussain said, "In the post, he wrote derogatory and defamatory comments on the national leader and renowned politician. Many people of the university urged the vice chancellor to take action, hence the case was filed.

"His act does not violate the proctorial rules of the university, but it violated the law of the state. We didn't file it willingly, but having received numerous complaints from different walks in this regard, we decided to file the case," he said.

Contacted, Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed, vice chancellor of the university, told The Daily Star, "Mohammed Nasim was a renowned personality. This student of the university doesn't relate to him [Nasim] but he crossed his limit by posting a defamatory status about him.

"You've seen how a lecturer of Begum Rokeya University was arrested following a defamatory post about Nasim. We cannot tolerate such defamatory posts regarding any nationally respected person and regular law is enough for that. His act agitated many people and I got calls from different agencies to take steps in this regard. Now the law will play its role," he said.

Being asked about how the university can sue a student for something which is personal and did not violate the proctorial rules, the VC said, "As he is our university's student, the matter comes to us."

"The university will not take responsibility for the mischief he did. He ruined the university's image which agitated many. That's why we filed the case," he said.

Professor Farid Uddin further said, "I appreciate students' protests, voices against injustice and their opinion. I never took any legal action against many derogatory remarks of students during my three-year tenure in the university as vice chancellor. But this is beyond the university; it is a national issue.

"If he is innocent, there is nothing to fear... If he is guilty, the authorities will take necessary action," he added.