A Dhaka court on Monday ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to probe the case against Prothom Alo journalist Rozina Islam for attempting to “illegally collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them,” reports UNB.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Tofazzal Hossain passed the order after accepting the no-confidence petition filed by deputy secretary to the Health Services Division.
The court also fixed February 28 for the next hearing.
Journo Rozina, who is now out on bail, was present before the court, said her lawyer Prashanto Karmakar.
On October 11, last year, Detective Branch submitted the final report seeking exemption of Rozina Islam from the charges.
Rozina, known for her reports on the health sector, was held at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17, 2021.
According to the case documents, she allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiation to buy Covid-19 vaccines.
An FIR was filed against Rozina Islam under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of the Penal Code.
On May 18, 2021, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police’s demand for her five-day remand.
Later on May 23, 2021, she walked out of Kashimpur Women's Central Jail after securing interim bail from a Dhaka court.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
