Call for immediate release of journo Kajol

Call for immediate release of journo Kajol

Family, colleagues, rights activists and artists joined in a demonstration demanding immediate release of jailed photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol.

At a human chain protest, held at the capital’s Central Shaheed Minar on Sunday, Kajol’s son Monorom Polok said that authorities are reluctant to release him even after his father’s health condition has deteriorated.

Theatre troupes Prachyanat and Theatre 52 joined the protest with their performances. Besides, ten young visual artists also performed. The entire event was streamed live on the social media.

Meanwhile, rights body Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) in a statement on Sunday expressed concerns over Kajol’s deteriorating health condition and demanded immediate release of him.

After a 53-day disappearance, Kajol turned up in police custody on May 3 after the border guards arrested him on charges of illegal trespassing on the Benapole border in Jessore. He has been in jail since then.

He went missing after leaving his office on March 10, a day after the ruling party lawmaker from Magura-1 filed a Digital Security case against him and 31 others on charges of publishing a report with "false information".

Two more Digital security cases were also filed against him with Hazaribagh and Kamrangirchar police stations on March 10 and 11.

Kajol, who has been formally arrested in the cases, has been in jail since May, when he was found on the Benapole border after remaining missing for almost two months.