High Court to govt: Why should photojournalist Kajol not get bail?

The High Court has issued a rule asking the government why photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol should not be granted bail in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the rule on Monday after hearing a bail petition filed by Kajol on September 8.

The court also asked the investigation officer of the case to appear before it on November 12 with case documents.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Md Sarwar Hossain Bappy represented the state.

Earlier on August 24, a Dhaka court denied bail to Kajol in the case filed against him and 31 others with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka on March 9.

Awami League lawmaker from Magura 1 constituency, Saifuzzaman Shikhor, filed the case against the accused, including Manabzamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, on charges of publishing a report with false information regarding expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia and circulating it on social media.

Kajol, who had previously worked as a photojournalist at national dailies such as Dainik Samakal and Banik Barta, is the editor of the fortnightly magazine Pokkhokal.

Two more cases were also filed against him under the same act with Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchar police stations in the capital on March 10 and 11.

He went missing after leaving his office on March 10. After a 53-day disappearance, Kajol turned up in police custody on May 3 after the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested him on charges of trespassing on the Benapole border in Jessore.

Shown formally arrested in the cases, Kajol has been in jail since then.