JnU student Khadija walks out of jail after 15 months

Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra, who faced charges under the Digital Security Act in two separate cases, has been released on bail after serving 450 days (15 months) in prison.

She walked out of Kashimpur Central Jail on Monday (20 November) around 9am, Kashimpur Central Women's Prison Jailor Farhana Akter confirmed.

While speaking to the media outside the prison, she expressed her feelings, saying, "What I've experienced is completely unfair. I've spent almost 15 months in jail for no crime. I'm not in the right mental state to elaborate further."

Khadija's bail order reached the jail authorities on Sunday evening.

Following her release this morning, she immediately headed to her university to sit for a scheduled examination.

Reflecting on her time in prison, she said, "I was not well while living in prison. I spent my days praying, fasting, and studying. Today, I have a second-year undergraduate exam. Hence, I'll head straight to the university from here to take part in the examination."

Khadija enrolled in the Political Science Department at Jagannath University during the 2019-20 academic session. Subsequently, she re-enrolled and is currently appearing for exams as part of the 2020-21 session.

The final semester examination for second-year political science students of the university commenced today.

According to Khadija's sister Sirajum Munira, the four-hour exam began at 10am. However, Khadija, who had just been released from prison, entered the exam hall at 11:30am.

On 16 November, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision to grant bail to Khadijatul Kubra in cases filed under the Digital Security Act. 

Earlier in February, the High Court granted Khadija's bail plea, but it was suspended by the chamber judge and sent for Appellate Division review upon the state's application.

The leave to appeal filed by the state challenging her bail order was also sent for hearing to the regular bench of the Appellate Division. 

Meanwhile, Khadija filed an application seeking the withdrawal of the suspension order given by the Chamber Court, which was heard in the Appellate Division on 10 July along with the state's petition. 

On that day, the Appellate Division stayed the hearing of the application for four months.

The Appellate Division held a hearing on the state's appeal as it was scheduled in the court's agenda today. Assistant Attorney General M Saiful Alam represented the state, while Khadija was represented by BM Elias Kachee and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua in today's Appellate Division session.

In October 2020, police filed two separate cases under the Digital Security Act against Khadijatul Kubra and retired Major Delwar Hossain in Kalabagan and New Market police stations for allegedly spreading anti-government statements online and tarnishing the image of the country.

The allegations and descriptions of the two cases filed within a week were identical. Khadija was arrested by police on 17 September last year and has been in prison since then.

In the case of the New Market police station, SI Khairul Islam said that he watched a video on Major (Retd) Delwar's YouTube channel on the morning of 11 October 2020.

Khadijatul Kubra was the host of the video titled "Humanity for Bangladesh." According to the case statements, in the video, Delwar Hossain gave various instructions to "overthrow the legitimate democratic government of Bangladesh."