Digital Security Act: JnU student Khadija discharged from one case

A Dhaka court has discharged Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra, who was in jail for more than a year in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).

Dhaka Cyber Tribunal’s judge AM Zulfikar Hayat passed the order Sunday. The court’s stenographer Mamun Shikder confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

Court sources said Khadija’s lawyer appealed for her discharge from the case filed at Kalabagan police station. After hearing from both sides, the court pronounced the order.

The court also fixed 29 February as the date for hearing of another case filed under the Digital Security Act at New Market police station.

Khadijatul Kubra is a second year student of the Political Science department at the university. Police in October, 2020, filed two cases against her and retired major Delowar Hossain on charges of making anti-state remarks and tarnishing the country’s image online.

The police submitted the charge sheet in the two cases in May, 2022. Later Dhaka cyber tribunal issued arrest warrants against the two accused. Following this, the police arrested Khadija from her Mirpur house on 27 August that year. The other accused Delwar is abroad.

Trial courts rejected Khadija’s bail pleas twice. Later, she filed an appeal with the High Court for bail. The court on 16 February in 2023 had granted bail to Khadija.

The state then filed two petitions with the SC challenging the HC bail order. Later the Supreme Court chamber judge stayed the HC order and sent the issue to the regular Appellate Division bench for hearing.

The Appellate Division on 15 November last year rejected the state’s leave to appeal against Khadija’s bail. Later, she was released from Kashimpur central women’s jail on 20 November.