Sherpur journo Rana freed on bail

The Sherpur journalist, who was jailed for six months for alleged misconduct while seeking information at the office of Nokla's upazila nirbahi officer in the district on March 5, was released on bail today.

Shafiuzzaman Rana, 45, the Nokla correspondent for Bangla daily Desh Rupantor, walked out of Sherpur District Jail this evening, said his wife Bonna Akter while talking to reporters.

Mohammad Humayun Kabir Khan, jail super of Sherpur jail, also confirmed the development.

Earlier, the court of Sherpur Additional District Magistrate Jebun Nahar granted him bail after a hearing on the petition, reports our local correspondent.

The magistrate set April 16 as the next date to hear the appeal against the verdict.

On March 5, a mobile court sentenced the journalist to six months' jail for allegedly misbehaving with a government official and an office staffer while trying to collect information from the office of Nokla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sadia Ummul Banin.

Meanwhile, Information Commissioner Shahidul Alam visited Sherpur for a detailed enquiry regarding the incident.

According to sources in his family, Rana had submitted a request to the UNO office for information regarding the computers and laptops acquired under the Annual Development Program (ADP).

As he pursued his inquiry, on March 5, a mobile court was convened, resulting in his imprisonment for six months. Since then, he has been in jail.

On March 7, the Information Commission of Bangladesh issued a notification mentioning the journalist's issue in seeking information under the RTI Act, and assigned Information Commissioner Shahidul Alam to investigate the incident and submit a report.