POBNEWS24, Dhaka, May 20, 2021: Rozina Islam, a Journalist of Bangladesh who is lodged in Kashimpur Jail, was granted bail in a case of allegedly taking pictures of official documents of the corona virus vaccine, but was not granted bail on Thursday. The court will give an order in this regard next Sunday.
Her bail hearing will be held in the virtual court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billa on Thursday (May 20) at around 12:45 pm. The judge reviewed the documents and ordered. Lawyers Ehsanul Haque Samaji and Prashant Kumar Karmakar took part in the hearing.
Prosecution lawyer Hemayetuddin Khan Hiron said present government was journalist-friendly. Believes in the freedom of the press. Not against journalists. Here a journalist wanted to give a bond to free himself from involvement in crime. We are seeking time to submit that video footage to the court. He further said that since the case was not bailable, there was no opportunity to grant bail.
Last Monday (May 17), the Ministry of Health detained journalist Rozina Islam for about six hours. She was later handed over to Shahbagh police and she was taken to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court from Shahbagh police station around 8:15 am on Tuesday (May 18). She was taken to court after 10:30 am.
Shahbagh Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Arifur Rahman Sardar applied for a five-day remand. On the other hand, his lawyer Prashant Kumar Adhikari applied for his bail. Following the hearing, the judge rejected his remand application and set Thursday for a bail hearing.
Commenting on the harassment and arrest of journalist Rozina Islam, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said, “What happened is unexpected. We are in question because of a few people in the Ministry of Health. We have nothing to hide, we are being questioned internationally. ‘ He said this while talking to reporters on Thursday.
“People are not only at fault, a Rozina can also be at fault, but care is being taken to ensure that she gets justice and gets due respect in custody,” said Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud.
Hasan Mahmud made the remarks in a brief speech at his official residence on Mintu Road in the capital on Thursday (May 20).
Earlier, leaders of the Dhaka Reporters Unity-DRU, a journalists’ organization, handed over a memorandum to the minister demanding the release of Rozina Islam. Leaders of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum-BSRF also made the same demand.
On the other hand, Jatiya Party chairman and deputy leader of the opposition in Bangladesh Parliament GM Quader MP has said that journalist Rozina Islam has been arrested conspiratorially. He said this at a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Thursday noon.
He said, “Rozina Islam has been sued under the Official Secrets Act and the Penal Code. I want to see that it is no longer in Bangladesh.” He demanded the repeal of the Official Secrets Act.
Bangladeshi NGOs, including international donors working in Bangladesh, have demanded Rozina’s release. They mentioned that the media of Bangladesh has been strangled and the media has been imprisoned.
Media workers from all over Bangladesh, including the National Press Club, Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists and IMCAB, have been holding human chain and protest rallies demanding Rozina’s release.
