Court rejects journalist Rozina's plea for passport, press card to be returned
The court has rejected the plea made by Prothom Alo's senior correspondent Rozina Islam for the return of her passport, press accreditation card and two mobile phones, which had been seized in the case filed under the penal code and the Official Secrets Act.
This order was passed on Sunday, by the Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) court's additional chief magistrate Abu Bakr Siddique.
Journalist Rozina Islam's lawyer Prasanta Karmakar confirmed this to Prothom Alo.
While carrying out her professional duties on 17 May, Rozina Islam was detained at the health ministry for about six hours, where she was harassed and mistreated. She was then handed over to the Shahbagh police station at 8:30 in the night. At 11:45pm a case was filed against her at the Shahbagh police station. After a week of being arrested in this case, she was released on bail on 23 May.
Sources in the court said that the investigation report of this case was scheduled to be submitted on 15 September. Journalist Rozina Islam appeared in the court that day and also submitted an appeal for her passport, press accreditation card and two mobile phones to be returned. After the hearing, the court asked investigating officer, detective branch inspector Mohammad Morshed Hossain Khan, to appear in court on Sunday (today). The investigating officer turned up accordingly.
Rozina Islam's lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji told the court that Rozina's passport was seized. She has been suffering from all sorts of physical ailments. Her press accreditation card was seized. Two of her mobile phones were also seized. With her press accreditation card seized, she was facing problems in carrying out her professional duties.
Also present in the court, investigating officer Mohammad Morshed Khan said, the two seized mobile phones of Rozina Islam had been sent for forensic tests. The reports had been received.
Addressing Rozina Islam's lawyer in court, he said that Rozina Islam had been granted bail on condition of her passport being submitted. If her passport was returned now, that condition would be violated. Rozina's lawyer replied that her passport had been submitted, but there was no condition that Rozina Islam wouldn't be able to go anywhere.
The court, however, rejected the appeal for Rozina Islam's passport, press accreditation card and mobile phones to be returned.
Rozina Islam's lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji said they would appeal to the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge court against the CMM court's order rejecting the appeal.