Photojournalist Kajol gets bail in all three cases

The High Court has granted bail to photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol in two cases filed under the Digital Security Act.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Thursday, Kajol’s lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua confirmed Dhaka Tribune.

“Now there is no bar to releasing him as the court granted him bail in the rest two cases,” the lawyer said.

On November 24, the same bench granted bail to Kajol in another case filed under the Digital Security Act. However, he was not freed from jail for being shown arrested in the other two cases.

On March 9, Awami League lawmaker from Magura 1 constituency Saifuzzaman Shikhor lodged a case against Kajol and 31 others, 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.

On March 10, Kajol went missing after leaving his office in the capital. After a 53-day disappearance, he 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.