M Humayun Kabir: The High Court yesterday directed the lower court concerned to dispose internationally-acclaimed photographer Shahidul Alam’s bail petition by today.
A High Court bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Shahidul seeking bail in the case.
The bail petition was filed with the court of Metropolitan Sessions Judges on August 14, said Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, a lawyer for Shahidul.
According to schedule, the lower court will be hearing the bail petition of Shahidul today.
Noted photographer Shahidul, 63, is now in Dhaka central jail in a case filed under the controversial Section 57 of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act.
Police charged him with “spreading propaganda and false information against the government”.
Plainclothes men picked up Shahidul from his home in the capital’s Dhanmondi on August 5.
Police filed the case against him and produced him before a Dhaka court the following day.
He was placed on a seven-day remand.
In court, Shahidul said he was tortured in custody. However, police denied the allegation.
On completion of his seven-day remand, a Dhaka court, on August 13, sent Shahidul to jail denying bail plea.
On September 4, a judge of the High Court bench felt “embarrassed” to hear Shahidul’s bail petition in the case against him.
The bench, however, did not disclose a reason for it.
Many notable personalities, including Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen along with 11 other Nobel Prize winners, have also called for immediate release of Shahidul.
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