A Bangladesh High Court on Thursday granted permanent bail to photographer and activist Shahidul Alam, The Dhaka Tribune reported. The photographer was arrested on August 5 for his social media posts supporting the student protests in the capital Dhaka.
Barrister Sarah Hossain, the photographer’s lawyer, said a bench of Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty set no legal bar for the activist’s release as they took his age and the time he spent being incarcerated into account, The Daily Star reported.
The 63-year-old was charged with spreading propaganda and false information against the government and is currently lodged in Dhaka Central Jail. He was charged under the controversial Information and Communication Technology Act.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that his office will appeal against the order before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
On November 13, more than 30 prominent personalities, including writers, historians, actors and intellectuals from South Asia, urged the Bangladesh government to release the detained activist. The letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came on the 100th day of his imprisonment.
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