Case against Rozina: PBI asked to place report on further probe by May 21

A Dhaka court today again ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit by May 21 the report on further investigation into the case filed against Prothom Alo's senior journalist Rozina Islam under the Official Secrets Act.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Nur passed the order after PBI failed to submit any probe report today.

During today's hearing, Rozina, now on bail, was present at the court, General Recording Officer Md Nizam Uddin Fakir confirmed.

On January 23, Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain ordered the further investigation after Shibbir Ahmed the deputy secretary of health ministry and also the complainant of the case, submitted a no-confidence petition in this regard.

In the petition, the complainant said the previous investigation officer did not probe the case properly even though there are specific allegations against the accused. So, further investigation is needed, the petition added.

Investigation Officer Morshed Hossain Khan, also an inspector of the Detective Branch of police, on July 4 last year submitted the final report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka, praying to relieve Rozina of the charges.

In the report, the investigator said no evidence was found against Rozina and the case was an instance of factual error.

On May 17, 2021, Shibbir Ahmed Osmani, filed the case against her with Shahbagh Police Station over allegations of stealing and capturing photos of "highly sensitive" government documents.

She was confined to the health ministry at the Secretariat for more than five hours that day before being handed over to police.

On May 23, 2021, she walked out of jail on bail.