Journalist Rozina's bail hearing on Thursday

A bail hearing is scheduled to be held on Thursday in a case filed against Rozina Islam, a senior reporter of Prothom Alo, for stealing state secrets and breaching the Official Secrets Act. 

The bail hearing will be held in the court (virtual) of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billa, Rozina Islam's lawyer Prashanto Kumar Karmakar told The Daily Samakal on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the journalist community brought out several protest rallies at the National Press Club and Dhaka Reporters' Unity and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Rozina. 

They also demanded punishment for those involved in harassing her by keeping her confined to the secretariat.

Amid ongoing protests, the investigation into the case against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of the police on Wednesday and now the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch will investigate the case.

On Tuesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim rejected the police's remand application and fixed May 20 for a bail hearing.

Rozina's lawyer Prashanto Kumar Karmakar told The Daily Samakal that journalist Rozina Islam's earlier investigative report on corruption and irregularities in the health ministry was also related to public interest as she is a professional journalist. 

The section against which the case has been filed is conflicting and undesirable, he said, adding Rozina Islam has a child; moreover, she is physically ill and considering all these grounds, the lawyer expected that Rozina will get bail.

Shahbagh police station Inspector Arifur Rahman Sardar, also the investigating officer of the case, had applied for a five-day remand in court on the same day. The judge denied remand plea and ordered her to be sent to jail.

On Monday, Rozina Islam visited the Ministry of Health in the secretariat to perform her professional duties. She was kept detained in a room for more than five hours from 3 pm to 8:30 pm and was physically and mentally harassed. 

At one point she fell ill and was taken to Shahbagh police station from the secretariat around 9 pm. 

Later in the night, a case was filed against Rozina under sections 379 and 411 of the Criminal Procedure Code and sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act with Shahbagh police station.