A Dhaka court on Thursday again directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to submit a probe report by March 16 in a case filed against the Founder of Drik Gallery and photographer Shahidul Alam under the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Act 2006.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Noor passed the order as the CID failed to submit the probe report on Thursday.
Defence counsel Abdullah Al Noman told Dhaka Tribune that Shahidul Alam, who is now on bail, appeared before the court on Thursday.
In the case Shahidul Alam was accused of spreading lies and provocative statements on social media during the 2018 student movement for road safety.
Students of different education institutions took to the streets on July 29, 2018 demanding safer roads and justice for Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment School and College students Diya Khanam Mim and Abdul Karim Rajib who were killed in a road accident on Dhaka's Airport Road, when a speeding bus of Jabal-e-Noor Paribahan ploughed into a group of students.
Shahidul was picked up from his Dhanmondi residence by detectives on August 5, 2018 after he gave online interviews to international media and went live on Facebook in support of the students who were demanding safety on roads.
A case was filed against him with Ramna police station the following day for “spreading propaganda” through Facebook.
On August 12, the court directed to send Shahidul to jail over the case.
The High Court granted him bail on November 15, the same year, and he was released from jail five days later on November 20.