Bail hearing in case filed against Rozina begins
Bail hearing of Prothom Alo's senior reporter Rozina Islam has begun in a case filed by the health ministry. A virtual hearing is going on 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.
The case filed under the Official Secrets Act and the Penal Code has been 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 responsibilities to investigate into the case. They will take the documents from Shahbagh police station.
The case was filed against Rozina with Shahbagh police station on Monday night. Health services division deputy secretary Md Shibbir Ahmed Osmani filed the lawsuit.
Rozina Islam’s lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that the law minister has already assured that Rozina Islam would get justice. A virtual hearing is scheduled for Thursday on her bail application.
He said, Rozina Islam was a woman, she was ill, and above all the allegations against her were flawed. Rozina Islam is eligible for bail as the material for the non-bailable offense was not mentioned in the statement. Earlier, on Tuesday, police shown arrested Rozina Islam in the case and sought five-day remand producing her before the court while Rozina’s lawyers plead for her bail.
Metropolitan magistrate Mohammad Jashim turned down the remand plea and set 20 May as the date for holding hearing on her bail. The court sent the senior journalist to jail.
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. At 11:45 pm they said that a case had been filed against her under the Official Secrets Act.
The incident of harassment and arrest of Rozina Islam has created uproar in the country and abroad.
United Nations has expressed concerns regarding the harassment and arrest of Rozina Islam. The global body has also said that they are looking at it.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said this in response to a question during a regular media briefing on Tuesday.