Jhumon Das Finally Granted Bail

The High Court has granted conditional one-year bail to Jhumon Das Apon of Noagaon village in Shalla upazila of Sunamganj, who has been lodged in jail for more than six months in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.

A virtual bench of the High Court comprising Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal passed the order on Thursday (September 23).

The High Court order said Jhumon Das was granted bail for one year. He will not be able to leave the country at this time, nor will he be able to leave Sunamganj without the permission of the court.

Jhuman Das's mother Niva Rani Das had appealed for bail in the case. Lawyer Z I Khan Panna, Nahid Sultana Yuthi and Md. Ashraf Ali were in favor of bail appeal in the court. Assistant Attorney General Mizanur Rahman represented the state.

Lawyer ZI Khan Panna confirmed the matter and said there was no legal impediment to Jhumon Das's release from Sunamganj jail following the High Court's bail order.

Earlier on Tuesday (September 21), the same bench of the High Court had fixed September 23 for the order after concluding the hearing on Jhumon Das's bail appeal.

Earlier, on March 15, Hefazat-e-Islam organized a rally named Shane Risalat at Dirai in Sunamganj. There, it was alleged that a young man named Jhumon Das gave status through social media in the wake of anti-sculpture remarks by Hefazat leader Mamunul Haque. That seems offensive in the eyes of Hefazat-e-Islam. They also rallied the next day in protest. According to the Facebook post, attacks, vandalism and looting took place in the houses of minorities in Noagaon village of Shalla upazila of Sunamganj.

Later, a case was filed against Jhumon Das under the Digital Security Act at Shalla Police Station for the Facebook post. The young man has been in jail for the last six months in that case.

Jhumon's lawyers went to the judge's court as Sunamganj's chief metropolitan magistrate was not granted bail. However, when the bail application was rejected, the bail application was filed in the High Court on August 22.