Journalist Probir Sikdar has been freed on bail before expiry of a three-day remand in the case under Information and Communication Technology Act.
Our Faridpur Correspondent reported that the senior journalist came out of the district jail around 1:45pm Wednesday, immediately after the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate granted him the bail.
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the journalist said: "I am grateful to the government high-ups for taking prompt action in this regard. Thanks to all for your support."
Earlier, Probir's son Suprio Sikdar confirmed the news of his bail through his Facebook post around 11:58am.
In his Facebook post, Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, president of the faction of BFUJ, also stated: "Probir Sikdar gets bail. The case against him will also be withdrawn."
Earlier in the day, Probir Sikdar was produced in Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court before the expiry of remand period as police had finished the interrogation.
The same court placed him on remand for allegedly tarnishing the image of LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain through his Facebook post.
Also read: Journalist Probir Sikdar taken for questioning by DB
On August 12, Probir wrote on Facebook that several gangs had been kept ready in Dhaka and Faridpur to “teach him a good lesson.” Two days ago, he said three people and their supporters would be responsible if anything happened to him.
The three people he named are LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, business tycoon Moosa bin Shamsher and fugitive war crimes convict Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar.
The reports on Moosa, also known as Nula Moosa during the war, and Bachchu Razakar were published in the daily Janakantha in 2001 under a series of reports called “Shei Razakar” describing the status of those who collaborated with Pakistani forces in 1971.
Following this, Probir came under attack by unknown miscreants and his leg had to be amputated. He published the report on Musa in his online portal u71news.com on July 17 and shared it on his Facebook profile several times recently.
On August 16, the members of the Detective Branch (DB) of police picked him up from the office of his online portal Uttoradhikar 71 News.
When contacted, Muntasirul Islam, the DMP deputy commissioner (Media), told the Dhaka Tribune that they had picked him up to verify claims, made on Facebook, that he was under constant threat by certain influential persons.
However, the journalist shown arrested in the case filed by Faridpur Awami League leader Swapan Kumar Paul, also a lawyer, on Sunday, hours after he was detained. Later, he was sent to jail and placed on remand.
Read more: Journalist Probir Sikdar under DB custody
Following the remand order, journalists under different platforms staged a number of protest, demanding his release. Journalists under the platform ‘Bikkubdha Sangbadik Somaj’ announced a token hunger strike programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
The three-hour hunger strike was set to begin around 11am Wednesday.
Probir earlier worked for the daily Janakantha, the daily Samakal and the daily Kaler Kantho. He has written investigative reports on the three persons including Musa’s complicity with war crimes in 1971.
