Fazle Elahi who was booked in a DSA case has been granted bail. He was an editor of pahar24.com, an online news portal, and Dainik Parbatya Chattogram, a local newspaper of Rangamati. Senior Judicial Magistrate of Rangamati, Fatema Begum granted him bail on Wednesday. His lawyer Muktar Ahmed confirmed Prothom Alo about his bail.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, members of Kotwali police station arrested Fazle Elahi as a wanted accused in a case filed under Digital Security Act (DSA).
Regarding the bail, lawyer Muktar Ahmed said, “The section, under which the case was filed against Fazle Elahi, is bailable. Therefore the court granted the bail plea today.”
Kotwali police station sources said a case has been filed against Fazle Elahi under the Digital Security Act at Chattogram Cyber Tribunal court. Naznin Anwar, daughter of Firoza Begum Chinu, former MP of Awami League for reserved seat in Rangamati, filed the case for publishing a news report.
Fazle Elahi also works at Kaler Kantho and as Rangamati correspondent of NTV, a private TV channel.
Speaking to the newspersons after the arrest, Kotwali police station officer-in-charge Md Kabir Hossain said Fazle Elahi was arrested after they had received an arrest warrant in the afternoon. He would be produced before the court on Wednesday.
Local sources said Fazle Elahi was arrested from his residence in ADC Hill area. Journalists and local people gathered before the police station following his arrest.
Various organisations including Rangamati Journalists Association, Reporters Union, Chhatra Union and different individuals protested the arrest of Fazle Elahi.
Reporters Union president Sushil Prasad Chakma said they called for a human chain on Wednesday protesting the arrest of Fazle Elahi.