Senior journalist Rozina Islam has been granted bail in connection with a case filed by health ministry deputy secretary. The court passed the order over the matter today. Earlier, on Thursday after taking hearing at the virtual court Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah fixed the date for passing order today. On that day senior lawyers Ehsanul Haque Samaji, Aminul Gani Tito, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, Ashraful Alam took part in the hearing for Rozina. While representing the state additional public prosecutor Taposh Kumar Pal and assistant public prosecutor Hemayet Uddin Khan Hiron opposed the bail initiatives. They said, one video clip had been viral about Rozina’s stay at the secretariat. There it was heard that she committed wrongdoing and wanted to sign bond. The video that spread on the social media and the state lawyers wanted to collect and submit the document. Therefore they wanted to defer the bail hearing process. Opposing the appeal the lawyers of the accused appealed for hearing on that day. After hearing the court fixed the date for passing order on Sunday for presenting valuable documents and about bail. Mentionable, senior reporter Rozina Islam of the Daily Prothom Alo went to collect news at the secretariat in the afternoon of May 17. She fell victim of assault there. Then after keeping her confined for nearly six hours she was taken to Shahbag police station in the night under police protection. Then health service division deputy secretary Shibbir Ahmed Osmani filed a case against Rozina under official secrecy act. AH   

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Joint General Secretary of Awami League (AL), Dr. Hasan Mahmud today (Wednesday) said that an information commission has been formed under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure free flow of information in the country. “Anyone can ask the government for any information through the commission. He or she will not get only the non-disclosed information. In this case, taking of confidential documents is wrong. The fair trial of Rozina Islam will be ensured in the incident of Health Ministry,” Hasan said. He said that if she wanted to get any information from the government, she had to apply to the ministry, but if it was not available in the ministry, she could apply to the information commission. “Since the formation of the Information Commission in 2014, one lakh 19 thousand 631 applications have been disposed till December 2020,” he said. The minister stated these as the chief guest while addressing the Bangladesh Journalists’ Welfare Trust cheques distribution ceremony at Bangabandhu Hall of Chattogram Press Club (CPC) in Chattogram. Chattogram Union of Journalists (CUJ) President Mohammad Ali presided over the function while Managing Director of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust Zafar Wazed, CPC President Ali Abbas, Vice President of BFUJ Riaz Haider Chowdhury, President of Dhaka Union of Journalists Quddus Afrad and General Secretary of CPC Chowdhury Farid, among others, addressed the function as special guests. Asking the journalists not to look at the issue of Rozina Islam emotionally, Dr Hasan said “Since a case has been filed, we are seeing the matter as she gets justice. Keep trust on the government.” Terming AL government a media-friendly one, Dr Hasan said that the Prime Minister and he himself are sincere and determined to uphold the dignity and honor of journalists. Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that any minister in the country takes two oaths, one is the oath as a minister and the other is the oath to protect state secrecy. I also had to take that oath.” “Since I have taken an oath of protecting state secrecy, I cannot say anything outside the cabinet. I can only say what I am asked to say,” Hasan said. He said that it is the responsibility of any minister or ministry to preserve secret state documents or agreements with other countries, stealing of secret documents is wrong. Prime Minister Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina is determined to protect the dignity and honor of journalists and her Government will try to dispel any such matter, which can create a detachment with the journalists. “In this case, we must ensure that Rozina Islam will get justice. I have repeatedly spoken to the Minister of Health, Home Affairs and Law. I have been assured by the Home Minister to ensure that her dignity is protected in the custody of the police and that she gets maximum benefits in the custody of the jail,” Hasan said. According to the Ministry of Health, Rozina Islam took some non-discloser papers from the file. When she was challenged, she returned the papers. A case was filed against her and then handed over to the police. Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that the question here is why she was detained there for five hours? Everyone has questions about it, the health ministry said they did not detain her for five hours, handed her to the police within an hour later. He said that the case is under investigation and the Ministry of Health has formed an inquiry committee. “It will come out whether there is any crime in the Ministry of Health after investigation,” he added. He said that there are many games with Bangladesh, our country is moving so far, it is far ahead of Pakistan, it has left India behind in many socio-economic indexes, that is not tolerated by many. “That is why conspiracies are being hatched against the country and attempts are made to create issues,” he said. Hassan said that hundreds of people were killed in Palestine and that the Amnesty International had not issued a statement on why nearly 100 children had been killed. “There are several other organizations that have not made a statement about what is happening in Palestine. Even the UN has taken seven days to speak, but many have spoken on the issue of Rozina Islam. So, I would like to request the journalist friends to have faith on the government, in this case the government is for justice,” he said. Source: BSS AH