Why shouldn’t journalist Kajol be granted bail: High Court

The High Court has issued a rule asking why photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol will not be granted bail in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.

After hearing a petition filed to seek Kajol's bail Monday, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mustafizur Rahman asked the attorney general to explain the issue before the court within the next two weeks.

At the same time, the court summoned the investigation officer of the case. He will have to appear before the court on November 12, along with all relevant documents.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, who argued for the plaintiff, confirmed it to The Business Standard.

He said the petition was filed with the High Court on September 8 after a lower court denied bail to Kajol on August 24.

Ruling party lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor filed the case against Kajol and 31 others with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station on March 9 on a charge of publishing a report with "false information".

On the following day, journalist Kajol went missing after leaving his office.

A second case was filed against him under the Digital Security Act on the same day he went missing.

Later, his wife Julia Ferdousi Nayan filed a general diary with Chawkbazar police station on the next day.

On May 3, Kajol was detained by members of the Raghunathpur BGB camp on a charge of illegal entry to Bangladesh from India at the Jashore border area.