A Dhaka court on Sunday granted ad-interim bail to Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam until July 15 in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah granted the bail on a bond of Tk 5,000. The court also asked her to submit her passport before the court. On Thursday, the court had fixed Sunday for passing an order after hearing her bail petition virtually. Assistant public prosecutor Hemayet Uddin Khan represented the state while Advocate Proshanto Kumar Karmakar and Ehsanul Haque Samaji stood for Rozina.  The 42-year-old journalist, known for her investigative journalism, was detained at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17. Also read: Don’t judge Rozina issue emotionally: Info Minister to journalists She allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiations with pharma firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines, according to case documents. An FIR was filed against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code on a complaint filed by the Health Services Division with Shahbagh Police Station. Later, on May 18, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand. Rozina was taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail on that day only. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formed a three-member probe committee to look into the allegations of the journalist's detention at the Secretariat and also her subsequent handover to the police. Meanwhile, the case filed against Rozina was transferred to the Detective Branch of police on Wednesday. Nationwide protests Rozina’s harassment for hours and her subsequent arrest sparked condemnation across the country. Journalists formed human chains and held rallies in the capital and other parts of the country on Wednesday demanding the "unconditional" release of Rozina and the punishment of those involved in harassing her at the Secretariat. Also read: Order on journalist Rozina Islam’s bail Sunday They also demanded withdrawal of the false cases filed against the journalist. UN’s concern The United Nations has said Rozina's arrest is obviously "something concerning”, noting that journalists need to be able to do their work free of any sort of harassment or physical threat anywhere around the world. "Look, I've seen…we've seen the press reports on the journalist who was arrested in Bangladesh. It’s, obviously, something that we’re looking at. It’s something that's concerning," said Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, at a regular briefing on May 18. Amnesty’s statement Rozina's arrest and the failure of the Bangladesh authorities to provide concrete evidence pointing to a recognisable criminal offence raise concerns that she is being targeted for her critical reporting, the Amnesty International said on Wednesday. In the absence of such evidence, the authorities must release Rozina immediately and she should not be punished for fulfilling her professional duties as a journalist, the human rights organisation also said. TIB condemns Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has also strongly condemned the detention and harassment of the investigative journalist at the Ministry of Health while performing her professional duties. In a statement issued on May 18, TIB has demanded immediate withdrawal of charges and unconditional release of Rozina. It has also urged the government to show prudence by ensuring exemplary punishment to the culprits through proper investigation into the incident.      

Stating that the arrest and harassment of Prothom Alo's Senior Reporter Rozina Islam is an example of the government's obstruction to revealing the truth and corruption, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday demanded her immediate release. In a statement, he also demanded the resignation of Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Health Secretary Abdul Mannan as he thinks Rizina was repressed at their behest. “The government can’t avoid the responsibility of cruel attitude towards journalists in the Health Ministry. Although the health minister and the secretary knew about the incident, they didn’t take any step to rescue Rozina Islam. Instead, she was handed over to the police,” Fakhrul said. Also Read: Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina arrested under Official Secrets Act “This’s not a trivial or isolated incident. This’s just an example of suppression of journalists by the authoritarian ruler and also an example of the government's obstruction to expressing dissenting opinions, uncovering the truth and rampant corruption,” he observed. The BNP leader said the brave and investigative journalists have been intimidated by the incident so that they can no longer make reports on the government’s ‘corruption, plundering, irregularities and waywardness’. “The government wants to cover up its corruption and misrule by spreading fear and panic.” He said the country’s people could know about many malpractices and irregularities through many investigative and courageous reports by Rozina. “That's why the government was angry with her and she was kept under its watch.” As she went to the Health Ministry alone for professional reasons on Monday, the BNP leader said some officials and employees of the ministry unfairly confined her to a room for six hours and tortured her both physically and mentally. “She was arrested later. Such attitude towards a female journalist by the government officials is a shameful and unforgivable crime. We strongly protest and condemn the incident and the arrest of the journalist.” Also Read: Prothom Alo journo Rozina sent to jail Fakhrul said the nasty incident has manifested that there is no scope left in Bangladesh for independent journalism and getting information. He demanded the government release Rozina immediately after withdrawing the false charges brought against her. “Exemplary punishment of those involved in torturing and arresting her must be ensured.” Fakhrul also demanded an end to the government’s interference in independent journalism and right to information, and repression and suppression of journalists. Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court sent Rozina, arrested in a case under the Official Secrets Act, to jail after rejecting the podemand of police for her five-day remand. Rozina was arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally “collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them” from the Secretariat on Monday. The Prothom Alo journalist has turned all the allegations. "I was, in fact, harassed at the Secretariat," she claimed immediately after her arrest.