Jhumon Das has finally walked out of jail on Tuesday at 6:10pm after the imprisonment of six months and 12 days in a case filed under the Digital Security Act at Shalla police station.
A High Court (HC) bench comprising justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and justice KM Zahid Sarwar granted him bail on Thursday for one year after a hearing on his plea.
However, Jhumon Das cannot go outside of Sunamganj without the court’s permission.
Immediately after releasing from prison, Jhumon wished happy birthday to prime minister Sheikh Hasina and expressed gratitude to all for standing beside him.
Juhmon Das’s mother Nivarani Das said, “I have been waiting to see my son for six months. My hope has fulfilled today (Tuesday). I can’t make you understand how hard my days were. I am happy as Juhmon has been released. But I would have been happier if he was released unconditionally.”
Earlier, Jhumon Das sought bail in the case from the magistrate court on 18 July but that was turned down. Later, he sought bail from the session judge court and that was dismissed on 3 August too.
Following this, Jhumon’s lawyer pleaded for his bail from the HC. The court completed hearing on the plea on 21 September and set 23 September for the order.
ZI Khan Panna, Nahid Sultana and Ashraf Ali stood for Jhumon Das in the court while assistant attorney general Md Mizanur Rahman represented the state.
Earlier, on 15 March, the then Hefazat-e-Islam’s leaders, Junaid Babunagari and Mamunul Haque, spoke at a rally in Sunamganj’s Derai upazila centering the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh.
Jhumon Das, from Noagaon village under Habibpur union parishad of Shalla upazila, allegedly posted an objectionable Facebook status about Mamunul Haque.
Following this, people of the village handed Jhumon over to police on 16 March and he was produced before a court on the following day. The court then sent him to jail.