Emi freed on bail 2 months after arrest over playing 7 March speech

Sheikh Tasnim Afroz (Emi), former vice-president of Dhaka University’s Shamsunnahar Hall Students’ Union, has been freed on bail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. She was freed from Kashimpur Central Women’s Jail in Gazipur today, Thursday morning, two months after her arrest.

Jail superintendent Shirin Akhter confirmed the matter. Speaking to Prothom Alo around 2:45 pm, she said the bail documents reached the prison in the morning. After verification she was released on bail, as there was no detention order against her in any other case.

At around 9:30 pm on 7 March this year, Sheikh Tasnim Afroz and several others announced a programme in front of Shahbagh Police Station to play the speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

While the speech was being broadcast over a microphone mounted on a rickshaw, a group of Dhaka University students, including DUCSU leader AB Zubair, Musaddik Ali Ibn Mohammad, and Tahmid Al Modassir, convener of the student organisation Jatiya Chhatra Shakti under NCP—intervened and obstructed the programme.

At one point, AB Zubair and Musaddik Ali took Sheikh Tasnim Afroz and Abdullah Al Mamun, along with the rickshaw, inside Shahbagh police station. During this time, Abdullah Al Mamun was assaulted inside the station premises. Police later detained them.

The following day, Tasnim Afroz , along with Asif Ahmed Saikat and another detainee held in police custody, was shown arrested in a case filed at Shahbagh police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act and sent to jail. The case was filed by the police.

Tasnim Afroz was granted bail in the case by the High Court on 30 April. After hearing her bail petition, a High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher issued the order along with a rule.