A Dhaka court on Monday refused to hear bail hearing for photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol since his shown arrested petition was pending in a case filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The virtual court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Dhiman Chandra Mondol passed the order after Kajol's counsel, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, submitted a petition seeking bail for the accused in the case via an email.
After hearing the bail plea, the court decided that since the shown arrested hearing had been fixed for Tuesday, the hearing on the bail petition would also be held on Tuesday following the hearing in the shown arrested case.
Earlier on June 16, another virtual court in Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim had directed the police to produce journalist Kajol in court on June 23.
It had also directed the Dhaka jail authorities to transfer Kajol to Dhaka jail from Jessore jail.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Ashaduzzaman, general recording officer (GRO) of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka, spoke to Dhaka Tribune on the matter.
Earlier on May 5, Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah passed an order after CTTC Inspector Motlubur Rahman, the investigation officer (IO) in the case, submitted the petition before the court. The magistrate asked the Jessore jail authorities to produce the journalist before it on June 1.
Kajol, who had previously worked as a photojournalist for such national dailies as the "Dainik Samakal" and "Banik Barta," is the editor of the fortnightly magazine, "Pokkhokal."
Following his 53-day disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at the Benapole border in Jessore on May 3.
The journalist had gone missing on March 10, a day after the case was filed by the Awami League's Magura 1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka on March 9.
Kajol and 30 others, including Manabzamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, were accused in the case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) over the publishing and sharing of a news article on social media regarding the expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia.
Detained on the charge of trespassing by BGB, Kajol was produced before a Jessore court on May 3.
Although the court granted him bail in the case, he was sent to jail as Kotwali police brought another charge against Kajol under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
It may be noted that three separate cases were filed against photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Kamrangirchar and Hazaribagh police stations under the Digital Security Act in March.
