Shawdesh Desk;

Jagannath University first-year student Khadijatul Kubra, who had been in jail custody for more than 15 months in connection with two cases relating to breaching of the Digital Security Act, was released from jail on bail on Monday morning.

Her sister Monira told New Age that she came out of the jail at about 9:00am.

‘We don’t want her to talk to the press now as her case is still pending,’ she said, adding, ‘We will take her to a doctor to assess her medical condition.’

The Appellate Division on Thursday granted an interim bail to Khadija, after one year and nearly three months in jail custody.

Khadija was arrested at her house in Mirpur on August 26, 2021 after the lower court issued a warrant to arrest her in the cases filed by the police against her and a retired army major, Delwar Hossain, in October 2020 for making remarks against prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her government on an online talk show hosted by herself.

A six-judge bench, chaired by chief justice Obaidul Hassan, granted Khadija’s bail after lifting its stay order on her six months’ bail that was granted by the High Court nine months ago.

The Appellate Division on February 27 stayed Khadija’s bail after hearing a government appeal that challenged the High Court order granting Khadija’s bail on February 16.

Khadija’s lawyer BM Elias told New Age that the Appellate Division’s July 10 order that adjourned Khadija’s bail petition until November drew flak.

Elias said that Khadija, a student of the political science department was granted bail to participate in her second semester examination scheduled for November 20.

Police in October 2020 filed the cases against Khadijatul and Delwar Hossain with Kalabagan and New Market police stations in Dhaka under the DSA on allegations of spreading anti-government statements and tarnishing the country’s image.

Khadija hosted a talk show titled Humanity for Bangladesh where retired major Delwar Hossain made a provocative statement and issued various instructions to overthrow the legitimate democratic government of Bangladesh, said the cases’ statements.