Probir Sikdar exempted from court appearance

A Faridpur court today exempted journalist Probir Sikdar from appearing before it in a case filed under Information and Communication Technology Act.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Hamidul Islam passed the order after Probir filed a petition seeking exemption from appearance in person before the court, reports our Faridpur correspondent.

“The court passed the order after we filed the petition under Section 205,” Mostafa Zaman, a lawyer of Probir, told reporters.

The court also fixed December 6 as the next date of hearing, he added.

On August 16, Probir was picked up from his office in Dhaka’s Indira Road area in the case filed with Faridpur Sadar police following one of his Facebook post.

Expressing fear for his life, Probir in the post said the LGRD minister, controversial businessman Moosa bin Shamser and condemned fugitive war criminal Abul Kalam Azad would be responsible if he were killed.

Local Awami League leader Swapan Kumar Paul, also assistant public prosecutor of Faridpur Judge's Court, filed the case, saying the post "tarnished the image" of the minister.

On August 19, Probir was freed on bail by a Faridpur court, a day after he was taken on a three-day police remand for questioning.

The arrest created a huge stir among the people. Many labelled this incident as an abuse of power.

In 2001, Probir wrote a series of reports titled "Sei Razakar" in Bangla daily Janakantha against some alleged war criminals, including Moosa bin Shamser and war criminal Abul Kalam Azad, also known as Bachchu Razakar.

He was attacked in April that year following the reports. He lost a leg and also mobility of one hand in the attack.