Bail hearing of Rozina Islam ends, order shortly

The hearing of bail petition of Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam in a case filed by the health ministry under the Official Secrets has ended.

The court said it will shortly pass an order on the bail petition after scrutinising all the relevant documents.

A virtual hearing on the case took place at the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Thursday.

Rozina Islam’s lawyers joined in the bail hearing in the court. Media workers also have gathered in front of the court while a number of law enforcement members have been deployed on the premises. Rozina Islam’s husband Monirul Islam and relatives are also waiting outside the court.

Earlier on Wednesday, the case was transferred to Detective Branch (DB) of police.

Deputy commissioner of DB’s Ramna zone, HM Azimul Haque, told Prothom Alo on Wednesday afternoon that they were given responsibility to investigate the case. They will collect the documents from Shahbagh police station.

Rozina Islam, an investigative journalist, went to the health ministry on Monday to carry out her profession duties. She was kept there confined for over five hours and harassed. At one point she fell ill. At around 8:30 pm, police took her to the Shahbagh police station and filed a case against her

The harassment and arrest of Rozina Islam has created uproar in the country and abroad.