Ruma Sarkar gets bail after 61 days in jail
Ruma Sarker, assistant professor of Begum Badrunnessa Government Girls' College, yesterday got bail from the High Court after spending 61 days in jail in a Digital Security Act case.
She was previously denied bail twice by lower courts.
The HC granted her bail until the submission of the police report to the trial court, clearing the way for her to walk out of Kashimpur jail.
The court also issued a rule asking the state to explain why Ruma should not be granted permanent bail in this case.
The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Atoar Rahman delivered the order and issued the rule following a petition filed by Ruma seeking bail.
ZI Khan Panna, lawyer of rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra which is providing legal assistance to Ruma, told The Daily Star that the HC granted bail on the grounds that she is a woman, has two children and been suffering in jail for a long time.
Lawyers Laboni Akhter and Shahinuzzaman Shahin also appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappi opposed the bail petition.
Rapid Action Battalion arrested Ruma Sarkar on October 20 from her home on the capital's Bailey Road after filing a case against her on charges of spreading provocative speeches and false videos on Facebook.
Rab filed the case under the DSA with the Ramna Police Station on October 19.
On that day, Ruma posted a video on her Facebook of businessman Shahinuddin's murder in the capital's Pallabi area on May 16, claiming it to be the attack on Jatan Kumar Saha in Noakhali, which led to his death, according to the case statement.
Jatan was beaten to death on the afternoon of October 15, when Hindu temples in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila were attacked.
On May 16, Shahinuddin was hacked to death in front of his son by a group of criminals.
Several persons, including a former lawmaker, were arrested a few days after the incident over the murder.
Ruma also went on Facebook Live and spread provocative information, said the case documents.