Journalist Rana finally out of jail

Shafiuzzaman Rana (45), Nakla upazila correspondent of national daily Desh Rupantor, who was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment by a mobile court in Sherpur, has been released from jail after getting bail by the court.

On Tuesday (March 12), Additional Deputy Magistrate Jebun Nahar ordered the interim bail after hearing arguments of both sides.

Journalist Rana was released from the district jail on Tuesday (March 12) evening, said Jail Superintendent Humayun Kabir Khan.

The lawyers of journalist Rana filed an appeal with the court of District Magistrate Abdullah Al Khairum seeking bail and cancellation of the sentence on Tuesday noon. Later, the district magistrate sent it to the court of Additional District Magistrate Zebun Nahar for hearing.

Mentionable, Nakla upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Md Shihabul Arif sentenced journalist Shafiuzzaman Rana to six months imprisonment through a mobile court on March 5 on charges of obstructing government work going to the UNO office, creating a chaotic situation, and harassing a female employee.

Journalist Rana, however, denied all the accusations. Coming out of the jail, he said, “I went to the UNO office with my elder son on March 5 to seek information under the Right to Information Act. I applied for information on the Annual Development Programme (ADP) and some projects of JICA and sought the received copy. UNO Sadia Ummul Banin got angry hearing my request. She insulted me and my son by calling names. At one stage, she called AC (land) Arif, conducted a mobile court on UNO office premises and sentenced me to six months of imprisonment.”

All the allegations leveled against me are completely false and fabricated, he said.