Journalist Monjurul Alam released on bail from Kashimpur jail

Journalist Monjurul Alam Panna has been released on bail in a case filed under the anti-terrorism act. He was freed from Kashimpur central jail, part-1, in Gazipur at around 5:00 pm on Wednesday.

Abu Noor Md Reza, senior jail superintendent of Kashimpur central jail-1, informed journalists that after the High Court granted bail, the case documents were sent to the lower court.

Once the necessary paperwork reached the prison from the lower court, Monjurul Alam was released at 5:00 pm on Wednesday. Later in the evening, his family members received him at the prison premises.

On 28 August, at around 12:45 am, a case was filed under the anti-terrorism act against former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, Dhaka university law department professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, journalist Monjurul Alam and 13 others. The case was filed by sub-inspector Amirul Islam of Shahbagh police station in the capital.

Earlier that day, Abdul Latif Siddique, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman and others had gone to attend a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU).

The discussion titled “Our great war of independence and the constitution of Bangladesh” was organised by a platform named “Moncho 71”.

At the discussion, professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman spoke first. Shortly after his speech ended, a group of individuals entered the DRU auditorium in a procession, chanting slogans such as “Let July’s weapon roar once again” and “July’s fighters, unite and fight” and so on.

At one point, the group tore down the roundtable’s banner and confined the participants inside the hall.

Around 12:15 pm, a team from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrived, after which the intruders handed over Abdul Latif Siddique, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, journalist Monjurul Alam and at least 16 others to the police.