Despite allegations against the accused were found to be false in the investigation report, a Dhaka court asked the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct additional investigations into the case against Prothom Alo Senior Reporter Rozina Islam.
The case was filed under the British-period law Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Tofazzal Hossain, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Dhaka, issued the order, directing the PBI to submit its investigation report on February 28.
The court came up with the order as plaintiff of the case health ministry's Deputy Secretary Shibbir Ahmed Osmani, submitted a no-confidence petition against the final report filed by investigation agency detective branch (DB) of police.
On May 17 last year, Rozina was confined to a room at the Secretariat’s Health Services Division for more than five hours over allegations of spiriting away important government documents and taking photos of the papers.
Rozina was handed over to Shahbagh police that night and faced legal action as health official Shibbir filed the lawsuit under colonial-era law Official Secrets Act, 1923.
She was freed on bail on May 23 amid widespread criticism and condemnation from media activists and human rights organizations. The watchdog for human rights violation, Human Rights Watch claimed the arrest of Rozina was a "major strike against press freedom"
On October 11, 2022, DB filed the final report in the case, arguing for Rozina's release from the accusations.
According to the investigation officer Inspector Morshed Hossain Khan’s report, the claims made against the accused were found to be false.
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