83 eminent citizens look for unconditional release of Rozina
Eighty-three eminent citizens of the united states on Fri demanded unconditional release of Prothom Alo's senior reporter Rozina Islam in a case filed by medical ministry.
In a statement, they explained, "We strongly demand the immediate withdrawal of the case against Rozina Islam, her unconditional discharge, and an inquiry into those accountable for harassing her."
They said the civil society had hoped that Rozina would have granted bail on Thursday the sensitive nature of the incident, the citizen's to bail and the question of justice under consideration. However, your choice on bail was re-fixed for Sunday. "The delay by the courtroom in going for a decision relating to Rozina's bail offers disappointed us."
They said that the charges in the event against Rozina were bailable and if she had been granted bail, there will be no obstacle to another hearing of the case.
The statement said, "There's been protests and reactions in the home and abroad about the arrest of senior journalist like Rozina on fabricated charges by the ministry of health. Journalist network and civil contemporary society have released statements terming the arrest of Rozina as unwarranted and an embarrassment for the federal government. The United Nations in addition has expressed concern at the incident. The issue has appeared in top rated newspapers of the universe, which includes tainted the photograph of the united states and the government about the freedom of expression and democracy."
The 83 signatories to the statement are educationist Serajul Islam Choudhury, former caretaker government advisors Wahiduddin Mahmud, Sultana Kamal, Hafizuddin Khan, Rasheda K Choudhury, Hossain Zillur Rahman, economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, human rights activist Sultana Kamal, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, Transparency International Bangladesh's executive director Iftekharuzzaman, Gonoshasthaya Kendra's Zafrullah Chowdhury, Bangladesh Supreme Court attorneys Shahdeen Malik, ZI Khan Panna, Sara Hossain, Nijera Kori's coordinator Khushi Kabir, SHUJAN's secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association's leader Syeda Rizwana Hasan, professors Ali Riaz, Swapan Adnan and ALRD executive director Shamsul Huda.
The teachers signing the statement include Dhaka University's CR Abrar, Asif Nazrul, Geeti Ara Nasreen, Robaet Ferdous, Samina Lutfa, Tanzimuddin Khan, Shahnaz Huda, Sumaiya Khair, Zobaida Nasrin, Kazi Maruful Islam, Gobinda Chakraborty, Jahangirnagar University's Anu Muhammad, Mirza Taslima Sultana, Sayeed Ferdous, Nasrin Khandakar and Saima Khatun, Chittagong University's Maidul Islam and Sadaf Noor, and researchers Meghna Guhathakurta and Nova Ahmed.
As well signatories of the affirmation were photographer Shahidul Alam, Parveen Hasan, Firdous Azim, Akmal Hossain Asia Contemporary society of Bangladesh's president Mahfuza Khanam, human rights activist Sharmeen Morshed, Shireen P Huq, Sanjeeb Drong, Pallab Chakma, Faustina Pereira, Arup Rahi, Muktasree Chakma, Noor Khan, Rehnuma Ahmed, Ilira Dewan, Subrata Chowdhury, Ijazul Islam, Hana Shams Ahmed, Rezaur Rahman and Salma Ali.
Other signatories are Selim Jahan, Shameem Azad, Bina D'Costa, Abu Sayeed Khan, Tabarak Hossain, Parsa Sajid, Lubna Marium, Naila Z Khan, Saidia Gulrukh, Fauzia Khandakar, Kazi Sufia Akhter, Sushmita Pritha, Phillip Gain, Rezanur Rahman, Kanak Chakma, Mahbubur Rahman, Shimul Saha, Kamar Ahmed, Sara Afrin, Nasimul Ara Huq, Rozina Begum and Ahmed Kabir Kishore.
Journalist Rozina Islam was first confined to an area at the secretariat on Sunday when she was carrying out her specialist duties. She was handed over to the Shahbagh police station at night time and displayed arrested in a circumstance filed under the Official Secrets Act. The courtroom rejected an appeal to put her on remand and purchased her to be delivered to jail. She was soon after delivered to Kashimpur Women's Jail in Gazipur district.
The hearing of her bail petition occurred on Thursday but no order was passed. The court in the future re-fixed the day of delivering bail order for Sunday.
