Cartoonist Kishore gets release from jail after around 10 months

Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, who was languishing behind the bars in a pre-trial detention for almost 10 months in a case filed under the Digital Security Act, has got release from jail.

He was released from Kashimpur central jail (part-2) around 12:30pm today (Thursday), said jail super Abdul Jalil.

The jail super said the documents related to Kishore’s bail release reached the jail around 11:00am. He was released after his papers were checked. Kishore’s relatives were waiting in front of the jail gate.

Earlier, on Wednesday, High Court bench of justice M Enayetur Rahim and justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order as well as issued a rule.

A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested writer Mushtaq Ahmed, cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, Rastrachinta member Didarul Islam and Dhaka Stock Exchange director Minhaz Mannan in May last year.

RAB filed a case under the Digital Security Act against 11 people, including the four, for spreading “seditious” speeches and “rumour” on social media. The bail plea of Mushtaq and Kishore were rejected for six times though the other two got bail in the case.

Mushtaq suffered a heart attack inside his cell at Kashimpur High Security Prison on 25 February, said the jail authorities.

He was transported to Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival, senior jail superintendent Md Gias Uddin said.

The 53-year-old writer, Mushtaq Ahmed was behind bars since May last year following his arrest in a case started by RAB. On 20 August last year, he was shifted to the Kashimpur prison, Gias Uddin said.