bail
'Rape attempt' on Pori Moni: Nasir, Omi get bail
A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted bail to former Uttara Club president Nasir U Mahmud and his associate Tuhin Siddiqui Omi in an attempted rape and murder case filed by actress Pori Moni.
Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Shahzadi Tahmida passed the order when police produced them before the court on completion of their five-day remand.
Read: Nasir, Omi put on 5-day remand over ‘rape attempt’ on Pori Moni
Earlier, on June 23, a Dhaka court placed Nasir and Omi on a five-day remand each in the case.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Rajib Hasan passed the order after investigation officer of the case Md Kamal Hossain produced them before the court with a plea of 10-day remand.
Dhallywood star Pori Moni on June 14 filed a sexual assault complaint against six people, including Nasir with Savar Model Police Station.
Read:Pori Moni case: Omi's associates get bail
Later in the day, Nasir U Mahmud and four others were arrested from Uttara by a detective team.
Earlier, Pori Moni in her verified Facebook page, uploaded a status seeking justice from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, claiming that the six people attempted to rape and kill her.
HC refuses bail to another 3 accused in Sinha murder case
The High Court on Monday rejected bail to another three accused in the Maj. (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan murder case on grounds that the petitions were not filed before it.
The order was issued by a bench of Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim.
The three accused who sought bail are: Shahjahan Ali, Razib Hossain and Abdullah Al Mahmud.
Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed and deputy attorney general Sujit Chatarjee Bappi represented the state while Advocate Mahbubur Rahman stood for the petitioners.
A Cox’s Bazar court on June 27 framed charges against 15 accused, including suspended Teknaf police station officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das, in the murder case.
The court also fixed July 26, 27 and 28 for recording testimonies of witnesses, said Public Prosecutor of Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Court Faridul Alam.
It also rejected bail petitions of another six accused, including ex-OC Pradeep and constable Sagar Dev.
On July 31 last year, Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check-post in Baharchhara Union of Cox's Bazar while returning to town after filming for a documentary.
On August 5, Sinha's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with Teknaf Senior Judicial Magistrate Court accusing nine members of law enforcement agencies of being involved in the killing, including Pradeep Kumar Das and Baharchhara police outpost inspector Liakat Ali.
On December 13, 2020, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) submitted a charge sheet against 15 people, including police source Ayaz and three APBn members, in connection with the case filed over Sinha's murder at a checkpost manned by APBn, where officers of the Teknaf police station intercepted Sinha's car.
Khairul Islam, assistant superintendent of police of RAB-15 and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet before Cox's Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate Tamanna Farah.
Journalist Muzakkir murder: 2 accused denied bail
The High Court on Monday denied bail to Awami League leaders Iqbal Bahar and Sirajul Haque (alias Abul Kashem) in a case filed over the murder of journalist Borhan Uddin Muzakkir amid political infighting in Noakhali's Companiganj.
The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order, considering that the petition was not submitted properly before it.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah represented the state while Advocate Shahinur Begum stood for the accused.
Also read:AL factional clash in Companiganj again , 6 shot
On February 19, clashes and gunfight took place between the supporters of Basurhat Municipality Mayor Abdul Quader Mirza and former Companiganj upazila chairman Mizanur Rahman Badal over establishing supremacy.
Both groups used firearms in the clash and the law enforcers fired several rounds of tear gas and shotguns to control the situation.
Muzakkir, a Noakhali district correspondent of online news portal Barta Bazar and also Companiganj correspondent for The Daily Bangladesh Samachar, suffered bullet wounds and fell on the ground when he was taking pictures and filming the intra-party clash.
Also read: Noakhali clash: Quader Mirza's rival AL leader Mizanur arrested
The critically injured journalist was rushed to Noakhali General Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to injuries on February 20.
On February 23, Muzakkir's father Nurul Huda Master filed a case with Companyganj Police Station accusing unnamed people. Later the case was transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation.
Musapur Union Swechchhasebak League President Iqbal Bahar and local Awami League activist Sirajul Haque were shown arrested in the case.
Regent's Shahed denied bail in money laundering case
The High Court Monday denied bail to Regent Group Chairman Mohammad Shahed in a case filed over the laundering of around Tk11.2 crore.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir passed the order, considering that the petition was not submitted properly before it.
Advocate Fazlur Rahman stood for the petitioner while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission.
On August 25 last year, the Criminal Investigation Department of police filed the case against Shahed and Regent Group Managing Director Masud Parvez with Uttara West Police Station.
Read: Regent Group Chairman Shahed put on 4-day remand
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital on July 6 and arrested eight people on charges of issuing fake Covid-19 certificates and charging exorbitant fees for Covid testing and treatment of inpatients.
On July 7, the head office of the Regent Group and both the hospitals were sealed off and 17 people, including Shahed, were sued on charges of issuing fake Covid test reports and taking money from Covid patients for tests and treatment.
On July 15, Rab arrested Shahed from the border area of Satkhira's Debhata as he tried to cross into India. Pervez was arrested from Gazipur on July 14.
Shahed has already been sentenced to life imprisonment in an arms case.
Journalist Rozina walks out of jail after one week
Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam, who was sent to jail on May 18 in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act, walked out of Kashimpur Women's Central Jail on Sunday afternoon after securing interim bail from a Dhaka court.
Rozina came out of the prison around 4:15 pm, according to jail officials.
Journalists and people from different walks of life received Rozina at the jail gate with flower bouquets. Her 13 relatives, including sister and brother-in-law, reached the jail gate around 3:25 pm in two microbuses to receive her.
The bail-related documents were sent to the jail authorities online and they freed her after examining those.
Read: Journalist Rozina Islam finally gets bail until July 15
Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court granted interim bail to Rozina Islam until July 15 in the case.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah granted the bail on a bond of Tk 5,000. The court also asked her to submit her passport before the court.
On Thursday, the court had fixed Sunday for passing an order after hearing her bail petition virtually.
The 42-year-old journalist, known for her investigative journalism, was detained at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17.
She allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiations with pharma firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines, according to case documents.
An FIR was filed against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code on a complaint filed by the Health Services Division with Shahbagh Police Station.
Later, on May 18, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand. Rozina was taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail on that day only.
Read:Dr Kamal demands immediate release of journalist Rozina
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formed a three-member probe committee to look into the allegations of the journalist's detention at the Secretariat and also her subsequent handover to the police.
Meanwhile, the case filed against Rozina was transferred to the Detective Branch of police on Wednesday.
Nationwide protests
Rozina’s harassment for hours and her subsequent arrest sparked condemnation across the country.
Journalists formed human chains and held rallies in the capital and other parts of the country on Wednesday demanding the "unconditional" release of Rozina and the punishment of those involved in harassing her at the Secretariat.
They also demanded withdrawal of the false cases filed against the journalist.
UN’s concern
The United Nations has said Rozina's arrest is obviously "something concerning”, noting that journalists need to be able to do their work free of any sort of harassment or physical threat anywhere around the world.
"Look, I've seen…we've seen the press reports on the journalist who was arrested in Bangladesh. It’s, obviously, something that we’re looking at. It’s something that's concerning," said Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, at a regular briefing on May 18.
Read:Rozina Islam: Journalism Vs the Colonial hangover of official secrecy
Amnesty’s statement
Rozina's arrest and the failure of the Bangladesh authorities to provide concrete evidence pointing to a recognisable criminal offence raise concerns that she is being targeted for her critical reporting, the Amnesty International said on Wednesday.
In the absence of such evidence, the authorities must release Rozina immediately and she should not be punished for fulfilling her professional duties as a journalist, the human rights organisation also said.
TIB’s condemnation
Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has also strongly condemned the detention and harassment of the investigative journalist at the Ministry of Health while performing her professional duties.
In a statement issued on May 18, TIB has demanded immediate withdrawal of charges and unconditional release of Rozina. It has also urged the government to show prudence by ensuring exemplary punishment to the culprits through proper investigation into the incident.
Order on journalist Rozina Islam’s bail Sunday
A Dhaka court on Thursday fixed Sunday for passing an order on the bail petition of Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah fixed the date after hearing on the bail petition.
Rozina’s counsel Prashanto Kumar Karmakar submitted the petition on May 18 seeking her bail.
Read:It's very regrettable; nothing to hide: FM about Rozina issue
Public prosecutor Mohammad Abdullah represented the state.
The 42-year-old journalist, known for her investigative journalism, was detained at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17.
She allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiations with pharma firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines, according to case documents.
An FIR was filed against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code on a complaint filed by the Health Services Division with Shahbagh Police Station.
Later, on May 18, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand. Rozina was taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail on that day only.
Read:Drop all "oppressive charges" against Rozina: HRW
Chattogram BNP leader Dr Shahadat freed on bail
BNP Chattogram City unit President Shahadat Hossain was released from jail on bail on Wednesday, one month and 22 days after his arrest.
Shahadat walked out of the Chattogram central Jail around 4:30pm after the bail order reached the jail authorities, said city unit BNP leader Idris Ali.
He said though some BNP leaders and activists went to the jail gate, they could not meet Shahadat there due to the presence of huge law enforcers.
Idris said Shahadat went back home in the port city from the jail gate.
Police had arrested him from the city’s Treatment Hospital on March 29, a day after a clash between BNP leaders and activists and law enforcers in Kazirdewri area.
He was shown arrested in an extortion case filed against him with Chawkbazar Police Station by a former city unit female BNP leader and two other cases filed in connection with the clash.
Shahadat recently obtained bail in the three cases from the High Court.
Bail, Ad-interim orders extended for 4 weeks: HC
Bail and all High Court ad-interim orders have been extended for the next four weeks, considering the lockdown and ongoing Covid situation.
Registrar general of the Supreme Court Md Ali Akbar issued a notice in this regard on Sunday.
The notice says the four week-extension will be effective on cases the High Court granted bail to the accused for a specific period or granted bail on condition of surrendering to a lower court or declared ad-interim order for a period.
On April 5 and April 18, through two different notices the Supreme Court has extended all ad-interim bails and orders for two weeks, twice.
On April 11, the Supreme Court declared on a notice that, from April 12 all the court and tribunals will be conducted virtually to settle all the bail and emergency criminal applications.
Muniya case: Bashundhara Group MD seeks anticipatory bail
Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir on Wednesday (April 28, 2021) filed a petition with the High Court, seeking an anticipatory bail in a case filed over abetting the suicide of a young girl whose body was recovered from a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area.
The petition was included in the cause list for hearing at the bench of Justice Mamunur Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman, court sources said.
Also read: Young woman found dead in Gulshan; case filed against Bashundhara MD
As per law, the accused must appear before court physically for hearing on an anticipatory bail plea but the accused could be connected virtually with the court during the virtual hearing.
On Monday, police recovered the hanging body of Mosarat Jahan, 21, daughter of late Shafiqur Rahman, a freedom fighter of Monoharpur in Cumilla district, from a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area.
Also read: Dhaka court imposes travel ban on Bashundhara MD over abetting suicide
Following the recovery of her body, the victim's sister, Nusrat Jahan, filed a case under section 306 of Bangladesh Penal Code with Gulshan Police Station around 1:30 am on Tuesday.
In the case, Nusrat Jahan made Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group, as the lone accused of abetting the death of the 21-year-old college student.
Read Those responsible for Muniya’s death to be brought to justice: Minister
Assault on Navy officer: High Court denies bail to Irfan Selim
The High Court on Wednesday refused bail to Irfan Selim, son of Awami League leader Haji Selim, in a case filed over assaulting a Navy officer in October last year.