Journalist Rozina Islam gets bail

A Dhaka court on Sunday granted interim bail to Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam until July 15 in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act.

Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah granted the bail upon bond of Tk 5,000.

The court also asked Rozina to submit her passport before it.

Earlier on Thursday, the court fixed Sunday for passing an order after hearing the 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.

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.